Air spring shock absorber with body attitude compensation

Abstract

The application discloses a kind of air spring damping devices with vehicle body posture compensation, it is related to vehicle air spring damping technical field, including: integrated active force regulation mechanism, it is multilayer concentric cylinder structure, from inside to outside sequentially coaxially arranged with piezoelectric ceramic stack main shaft assembly, the active variable stiffness coil spring assembly of being arranged at the bottom of piezoelectric ceramic stack main shaft assembly and the non-newtonian fluid damping cavity assembly of being arranged at the bottom of active variable stiffness coil spring assembly.The whole is under the unified scheduling of micro central controller and forms cooperation, so that piezoelectric stack output opposite phase force accurately offsets impact, coil spring is locked by actuating nut number of turns to realize stiffness step promotion, and non-newtonian fluid changes viscosity to filter vibration by excitation instant.The formed synchronous cooperation realizes to full-band road excitation, from high frequency fine vibration to single big impact Optimal composite compensation, completely solve the contradiction between comfort and controllability.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of vehicle air spring damping technology, specifically to an air spring damping device with vehicle body posture compensation. Background Technology

[0002] An air spring is a sealed container filled with compressed air. It utilizes the compressibility of gas to achieve its elastic effect. The most commonly used type of air spring is the bladder spring, which achieves excellent elastic performance by compressing the gas inside the bladder.

[0003] However, existing air spring-based suspension systems still have significant limitations in dynamic attitude control. Mainstream technical solutions fall into two categories: one is passive or semi-active air suspension, where damping is provided by traditional hydraulic dampers or adjustable dampers, such as magnetorheological dampers, and stiffness and height are adjusted through an air circuit system. The response speed of this type of system is limited by the actuation speed of the air pump and solenoid valve, as well as the compressibility of the gas itself. When facing high-frequency, transient road impacts, such as speed bumps and potholes, it exhibits inherent control lag and cannot achieve instantaneous vehicle attitude stability. The other type is fully active suspension, which typically uses hydraulic or electro-hydraulic actuators to directly provide force. Although it offers excellent dynamic performance, it suffers from system complexity, high cost, huge energy consumption, and reliability challenges, making large-scale adoption difficult.

[0004] Current air spring shock absorbers suffer from several drawbacks during use. The slow speed of gas medium adjustment prevents the system from providing accurate force compensation in advance or synchronously to sudden impacts. Furthermore, stiffness adjustment, damping control, and height adjustment are usually performed by independent subsystems, lacking deep hardware integration and millisecond-level collaborative control algorithms. Under complex and continuous excitation, the subsystems may interfere with each other. In addition, to maintain a fast response, the air pump and valve group need to work frequently, resulting in high energy consumption and a lack of effective energy recovery mechanisms. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The purpose of this invention is to provide an air spring damping device with vehicle body posture compensation to solve the problems mentioned in the background art.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides the following technical solution: an air spring damping device with vehicle body posture compensation, comprising:

[0007] The integrated active power control mechanism is a multi-layer concentric cylindrical structure. From the inside out, it is coaxially arranged with a piezoelectric ceramic stack main shaft assembly, an active variable stiffness helical spring assembly installed at the bottom of the piezoelectric ceramic stack main shaft assembly, and a non-Newtonian fluid damping cavity assembly installed at the bottom of the active variable stiffness helical spring assembly. The whole is encapsulated in an external bearing shell.

[0008] The air spring airbags are arranged in parallel on top of the integrated active power control mechanism, together forming the air spring shock absorption assembly;

[0009] At least three sets of biomimetic joint components are evenly distributed circumferentially between the bottom of the active variable stiffness helical spring assembly and the bearing cover at the bottom of the outer bearing housing.

[0010] The non-Newtonian fluid damping cavity assembly has at least one fluid detection sensor, which is embedded inside the structure of the main force-bearing cavity.

[0011] The outer supporting shell and the supporting cover are both embedded with several Bragg grating sensing optical fibers. Each Bragg grating sensing optical fiber is engraved with several grating sensing points to form a distributed strain sensing area.

[0012] The miniature central controller is installed inside the support cover and forms a telecommunication connection with the fiber Bragg grating sensor and the fluid detection sensor, respectively.

[0013] A thin-film pressure sensor array, which is disposed on the wheel side and used to directly measure the tire contact pressure, the signal of the thin-film pressure sensor array being wirelessly connected to the central controller.

[0014] Preferably, the piezoelectric ceramic stack spindle assembly is formed by stacking annular piezoelectric ceramic sheets. An outer limiting frame is installed on the outside of the annular piezoelectric ceramic sheets. The top of the outer limiting frame is connected to a mounting plate installed on the top of the universal joint through a connected universal joint. An annular damping spring is installed on the annular piezoelectric ceramic sheets.

[0015] Preferably, the active variable stiffness helical spring assembly includes:

[0016] The hydraulic amplification chamber structure has a main piston that is fixedly connected to the bottom of the annular damping spring. The hydraulic amplification chamber structure is an annular sealed oil chamber. The interior of the annular sealed oil chamber is connected to the upper and lower chambers through the installed micro servo valve. The hydraulic oil is driven by the micro displacement of the main piston to generate amplified output force.

[0017] A variable stiffness helical spring structure is located at the bottom of the hydraulic amplification chamber.

[0018] Preferably, the variable stiffness helical spring structure includes:

[0019] A central rod, on the outside of which a helical spring is coaxially mounted;

[0020] An actuating nut is sleeved on the outside of the central rod and contacts the spring gap of the helical spring. The actuating nut has a built-in motor and an electromagnetic pin that can pop out and engage with the spring gap.

[0021] A drive controller is electrically connected to a micro central controller and controls the actuating nut to slide along the outer first direction of the central rod.

[0022] Preferably, the non-Newtonian fluid damping cavity assembly is a sealed cavity surrounding a variable stiffness helical spring structure. The main force-bearing cavity is filled with a shear-thickening fluid. A piezoelectric ceramic shear ring is embedded inside the main force-bearing cavity. An impeller exciter driven by a miniature drive shaft through the drive controller is installed at the bottom of the main force-bearing cavity. A bottom bearing plate is installed at the bottom of the main force-bearing cavity.

[0023] Preferably, the top of the main force-bearing cavity is coaxially provided with an integrated cavity consisting of a second sealing cavity, a receiving cavity, and a first sealing cavity. The integrated cavity is coaxially sleeved on the outer top of the main force-bearing cavity and can slide along the axial direction of the main force-bearing cavity. The outer wall of the integrated cavity is sealed to the inside of the main force-bearing cavity, so that the inner cavity of the air spring bladder is isolated from the inside of the integrated cavity. A connecting sleeve is sleeved on the outside of the second sealing cavity.

[0024] Preferably, the biomimetic joint is an X-shaped hinge structure with nonlinear stiffness characteristics, with its top and bottom ends hinged to the bottom of the connecting sleeve and the top of the bearing cover, respectively, to provide auxiliary support and overload protection.

[0025] Preferably, the bionic joint component includes:

[0026] The X-type hinge connection structure comprises a connecting pivot end, a first-direction hinge frame, and a second-direction hinge frame. The first-direction hinge frame and the second-direction hinge frame are equipped with a synchronous sliding adjustment frame that is adjusted according to the direction of the X-type hinge connection structure.

[0027] The hinged base frame has its top hinged sequentially to a first-direction hinge frame and a second-direction hinge frame.

[0028] Preferably, the hinged base frame includes:

[0029] An inner sliding cavity is formed inside the hinged base frame;

[0030] The hinge point seat is slidably connected along the inside of the inner sliding cavity, and its top is connected to the bottom end of the synchronous sliding control frame.

[0031] The shape memory alloy spiral wire is configured in two sets and connected to the bottom end of the hinge point seat by a limiting sliding post installed at the top. A micro pulse generator controller is connected to the bottom of the shape memory alloy spiral wire and is embedded in the hinge base frame.

[0032] Preferably, the air spring airbag and the integrated active power control mechanism are connected in parallel via a mounting plate and a support cover. The side or bottom end of the support cover is integrated with a high-speed air valve and an electrical interface that communicate with the air spring airbag. The mounting plate is connected to the external vehicle frame, and the support cover is connected to the suspension linkage or bearing seat of the external wheel.

[0033] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the present invention are:

[0034] In this invention, a multi-source sensing area is formed by deeply integrating Bragg grating sensing fibers, tire film pressure sensors, and vehicle pre-aiming information embedded within the structure. This allows the micro central controller to predict road distances in advance. The piezoelectric ceramic stack main shaft assembly, active variable stiffness helical spring assembly, and non-Newtonian fluid damping cavity assembly are integrated and packaged in a concentric cylindrical structure. Under the unified scheduling of the micro central controller, a synergistic effect is achieved, enabling the piezoelectric stack to output an anti-phase force to precisely offset impacts. The helical spring achieves a step increase in stiffness by locking the number of turns with an actuating nut, and the non-Newtonian fluid filters vibrations by instantaneously changing its viscosity through excitation. This synchronous synergy achieves optimal composite compensation for road excitation across the entire frequency range, from high-frequency fine vibrations to single large impacts, completely resolving the contradiction between comfort and handling. Simultaneously, the outer limiting frame and annular damping spring protect the delicate and fragile piezoelectric stack, while the biomimetic joints provide passive or active locking rigid protection under extreme impacts, preventing overload damage to internal components. This allows the system to switch to a low-power mode during smooth cruising and recover vibration energy using a piezoelectric stack, significantly reducing system energy consumption. Furthermore, all sensor data forms a closed loop, and the micro central controller possesses self-learning and adaptive fine-tuning capabilities, continuously optimizing control accuracy over time. This significantly improves system reliability, energy efficiency, and intelligence. Attached Figure Description

[0035] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the main structure of the present invention;

[0036] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the internal cross-sectional structure of the main body in this invention;

[0037] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the partial structural separation of the main body in this invention;

[0038] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the installation position structure of the piezoelectric ceramic stack main shaft assembly and the active variable stiffness helical spring assembly in this invention;

[0039] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the separate structure of the piezoelectric ceramic stack main shaft assembly and the active variable stiffness helical spring assembly in this invention;

[0040] Figure 6 In this invention Figure 4A magnified structural diagram at point A;

[0041] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the biomimetic joint component in this invention;

[0042] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the separation structure of the biomimetic joint component in this invention;

[0043] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the internal cross-sectional structure of the biomimetic joint component in this invention.

[0044] In the diagram: 100, external bearing housing; 110, impeller actuator; 120, connecting sleeve; 200, air spring bladder; 300, mounting plate; 400, bearing cover; 500, piezoelectric ceramic stack main shaft assembly; 501, universal joint; 502, outer limiting frame; 503, annular piezoelectric ceramic sheet; 504, annular damping spring component; 600, active variable stiffness helical spring assembly; 601, main piston; 602, annular sealed oil chamber; 603, miniature servo valve; 604, center rod; 605, drive controller; 606, actuating nut; 700, bionic joint. Components; 710, Connecting joint end; 720, First direction hinge frame; 730, Second direction hinge frame; 740, Synchronous sliding control frame; 750, Hinge base frame; 751, Shape memory alloy spiral wire; 752, Sliding column; 753, Micro pulse generator controller; 754, Inner sliding cavity; 755, Hinge point seat; 800, Non-Newtonian fluid damping cavity assembly; 801, Main force-bearing cavity; 802, Bottom bearing plate; 803, Fluid detection sensor; 804, Piezoelectric ceramic shear ring; 900, Receiving cavity; 901, First sealing cavity; 902, Second sealing cavity. Detailed Implementation

[0045] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0046] To address the problems of slow dynamic response and inability to predict and adjust according to road conditions in existing air springs, as well as the single performance and lack of comprehensive coordination capabilities of traditional suspension systems under complex excitations, this invention provides an air spring damping device with vehicle body posture compensation.

[0047] Referring to the overall embodiments, such as Figure 1The system includes an integrated active power control mechanism, an air spring bladder 200, a Bragg grating sensing fiber, a micro central controller, and a thin-film pressure sensor array. The air spring bladder 200 is located on top of the integrated active power control mechanism and arranged in parallel to form the air spring damping assembly. Several Bragg grating sensing fibers are embedded inside the outer housing 100 and the housing cover 400. Each Bragg grating sensing fiber has several grating sensing points etched on it, forming a distributed strain sensing area. The micro central controller is installed inside the housing cover 400 and is electrically connected to the fiber Bragg grating sensor and the fluid detection sensor 803. The thin-film pressure sensor array is located on the wheel side and is used to directly measure the tire contact pressure. The signal from the thin-film pressure sensor array is wirelessly connected to the central controller. That is, when the vehicle starts, the micro central controller installed inside the housing cover 400 is powered on first. This allows the micro central controller to send control commands to all structures. During this process, the air springs 200 inflate according to preset driving modes, such as Comfort, Sport, and Off-road, adjusting the vehicle body to its initial height. While the vehicle is in motion, several Bragg grating sensing fibers embedded within the outer housing 100 and the cover 400 continuously sense the micro-strain caused by stress on the structure. The wavelength offset at each grating sensing point is demodulated in real time and transmitted to the micro central controller for real-time analysis of the stress distribution of the suspension pillar. Simultaneously, a thin-film pressure sensor array attached to the tire inner wall or wheel hub wirelessly transmits the pressure distribution image of the tire contact area to the micro central controller in real time, providing the most direct grip information. More specifically, the micro central controller can also receive signals from vehicle buses, such as the CAN bus, regarding vehicle speed, steering wheel angle, and yaw rate. Furthermore, if the vehicle is equipped with a 360-degree panoramic imaging system or pre-aiming technology, such as cameras or radar, information about road surface undulations ahead will also be input into the micro central controller for overall command analysis. The micro central controller then acts as the master controller, performing high-speed real-time or pre-analysis of the received data. This allows it to determine the type, intensity, and frequency of road surface excitation the wheels will encounter in advance, such as up to 100 milliseconds, based on the current vehicle speed and the initial vibration waveform of the suspension column body captured by the grating sensor points with the fastest transmission speed. This is combined with preview or panoramic information.The micro central controller then rapidly analyzes the ideal force required to maintain absolute vehicle stability and optimal tire contact, and generates coordinated control commands. This allows the micro central controller to synchronously send the command set to the integrated active force control mechanism. For example, in response to high-frequency, fine vibrations, the micro central controller instantly triggers the piezoelectric ceramic shear ring 804 on the inner wall of the main force chamber 801, causing it to vibrate at high frequency. This causes the shear-thickening fluid within the main force chamber 801 to become nearly solid within milliseconds, resulting in a sharp increase in damping force, effectively filtering out uncomfortable high-frequency vibrations. Alternatively, in response to an impending single impact, such as when crossing a bump, approximately 100 milliseconds before the impact, the actuating nut 606 moves up and down along the central rod 604 according to the command and locks, reducing the effective number of coil spring turns and gradually increasing the local stiffness of the coil spring to achieve early hard contact. Furthermore, at the same moment the tire contacts the obstacle, the piezoelectric ceramic stack main shaft assembly 500 releases an equal and opposite phase active force based on the predicted impact waveform. This force is amplified by the hydraulic amplification chamber structure and output to actively bear the upward impact of the wheels, thus largely offsetting the impact energy before it is transmitted to the vehicle body. Simultaneously, the air spring bladder 200 can be inflated and deflated via a high-speed valve, providing large-stroke, low-frequency support force changes to smoothly handle long-wave road surfaces or suppress vehicle pitch during acceleration and braking, and body roll during cornering. The generated operational data is synchronously fed back to the micro central controller, allowing it to perform self-checks and learn through built-in machine learning algorithms, actively adjusting deviations and making fine-tuning to ensure increasingly higher control accuracy over time. Later, when the system detects that the vehicle has entered a stable cruising state, it automatically switches to a high-efficiency mode. At this time, the main force-bearing chamber 801 stops active excitation, returning to a low-viscosity state to reduce internal losses. The piezoelectric ceramic stack main shaft assembly 500 can be converted into generator mode with the help of an external converter, recovering and storing the energy from minor road vibrations while minimizing overall power consumption. Once a new road surface change is detected, it will promptly adjust its operation from the low-power dormant state.

[0048] More specifically, such as Figures 2-5 As shown, the integrated active power control mechanism is a multi-layer concentric cylindrical structure. From the inside out, it is coaxially arranged with a piezoelectric ceramic stack main shaft assembly 500, an active variable stiffness helical spring assembly 600 installed at the bottom of the piezoelectric ceramic stack main shaft assembly 500, and a non-Newtonian fluid damping cavity assembly 800 installed at the bottom of the active variable stiffness helical spring assembly 600. The whole is encapsulated in the outer bearing housing 100.

[0049] Among them, the preferred ones are, such as Figure 5As shown, the piezoelectric ceramic stack spindle assembly 500 is composed of stacked annular piezoelectric ceramic sheets 503. An outer limiting frame 502 is mounted on the outside of each annular piezoelectric ceramic sheet 503. The top of the outer limiting frame 502 is connected to a mounting plate 300 mounted on the top of the universal joint 501 via a connected universal joint 501. Annular damping springs 504 are mounted on each annular piezoelectric ceramic sheet 503. Specifically, when the vehicle is stationary or moving smoothly, the piezoelectric ceramic stack spindle assembly 500 is in a low-energy standby state. At this time, the annular damping springs 504, fitted onto all the annular piezoelectric ceramic sheets 503, provide a stable axial preload, ensuring that the ceramic sheets are tightly stacked and preventing movement delays or abnormal noises due to small gaps. Furthermore, all the annular piezoelectric ceramic sheets 503 are enclosed within the outer limiting frame 502, which constrains the radial deformation of all the annular piezoelectric ceramic sheets 503, ensuring that they can only precisely expand and contract along the axial direction. When the micro central controller, based on analysis, requires an active compensation force with a specific waveform and height, it generates a set of high-voltage, high-frequency pulse control signals. These pulse control signals are rapidly transmitted via wiring harness to the electrodes of the annular piezoelectric ceramic sheet 503, facilitating their application to each electrode. Since the annular piezoelectric ceramic sheet 503 is a piezoelectric material, and piezoelectric materials exhibit an inverse piezoelectric effect, this effect is excited. Each annular piezoelectric ceramic sheet 503 undergoes extremely precise thickness changes, such as expansion and contraction, on the order of several micrometers, depending on the direction and intensity of the electric field. The microscopic displacements of all the annular piezoelectric ceramic sheets 503 accumulate axially, forming a macroscopic microscopic expansion and contraction of all the annular piezoelectric ceramic sheets 503, for example, the total expansion and contraction is on the order of tens to hundreds of micrometers. This microscopic expansion and contraction is then instantly captured and converted into a macroscopic, powerful thrust or pull force by the hydraulic amplification chamber structure in the active variable stiffness helical spring assembly 600 at the bottom of the piezoelectric ceramic stack spindle assembly 500. Ultimately, a high-precision main force, perfectly corresponding to the input electrical signal waveform, is output from the bottom of the piezoelectric ceramic stack main shaft assembly 500, acting on the force transmission path of the suspension. Secondly, it should be noted that while outputting the main force, the annular piezoelectric ceramic sheet 503 may bear lateral forces or complex torques from the road surface during the output process. The outer limiting frame 502 plays a crucial role here, acting like a robust cage, providing strong radial support and protection for the entire brittle ceramic stack, preventing bending, shearing, or even damage due to lateral forces, ensuring that all energy is used to generate the axial main force. When the annular piezoelectric ceramic sheet 503 responds at high speed, it may generate high-frequency resonance of its own material. At this time, the annular damping spring 504 not only provides preload, but its internal damping material can also effectively absorb and dissipate these harmful micro-vibrational energies, making the movement of all annular piezoelectric ceramic sheets 503 smoother and the output force curve cleaner, avoiding the superposition of its own resonance into the output force.

[0050] Subsequently, when the control electrical signal is withdrawn or reversed, the annular piezoelectric ceramic sheet 503, aided by the elastic restoring force of the annular damping spring 504, quickly and smoothly returns to its initial thickness, preparing for the next action. Furthermore, the damping characteristics of the annular damping spring 504 ensure that the reset process is oscillating-free. In this process, the system indirectly obtains the actual expansion and contraction of the annular piezoelectric ceramic sheet 503 by monitoring its charge or through an independent micro-displacement sensor. This information is then transmitted back to the micro-central controller as a feedback signal, compared with the target value, to achieve closed-loop control of the output force, ensuring accuracy over long-term use.

[0051] Simultaneously, the universal joint 501 at the top of the piezoelectric ceramic stack main shaft assembly 500 connects to the upper mounting plate 300. This allows the universal joint 501 to provide a small degree of angular self-adaptation between the upper end of the piezoelectric ceramic stack main shaft assembly 500 and the vehicle body, avoiding internal stress caused by installation errors or vehicle body deformation, and ensuring that the annular piezoelectric ceramic sheet 503 always operates under ideal axial force. The millisecond-level high-frequency force generated by the piezoelectric ceramic stack main shaft assembly 500, together with the stiffness step change provided by the active variable stiffness helical spring assembly 600 and the damping abrupt change provided by the non-Newtonian fluid damping cavity assembly 800, under the unified scheduling of the micro central controller, forms an effective synchronization, together constituting a composite and optimal compensating force acting on the wheel.

[0052] Among them, the preferred ones are, such as Figure 5As shown, at least three sets of biomimetic joint components 700 are evenly distributed circumferentially between the bottom of the active variable stiffness helical spring assembly 600 and the support cover 400 provided at the bottom of the outer support housing 100. The active variable stiffness helical spring assembly 600 includes: a hydraulic amplification chamber structure having a main piston 601 fixedly connected to the bottom of the annular damping spring component 504; the hydraulic amplification chamber structure is an annular sealed oil chamber 602; the interior of the annular sealed oil chamber 602 is connected to the upper and lower chambers through a miniature servo valve 603; the amplified output force is generated by driving hydraulic oil through the micro-displacement of the main piston 601; and the variable stiffness helical spring structure is located at the bottom end of the hydraulic amplification chamber. The variable stiffness helical spring structure includes: a helical spring coaxially mounted on the outside of a central rod 604; an actuating nut 606 sleeved on the outside of the central rod 604 and in contact with the spring gap of the helical spring; the actuating nut 606 contains a motor and an electromagnetic pin capable of popping out and engaging with the spring gap; a drive controller 605 is electrically connected to a micro central controller and controls the actuating nut 606 to slide along the outside of the central rod 604 in a first direction. Specifically, when the vehicle is stationary or driving smoothly, the active variable stiffness helical spring assembly 600 is in the default comfort stiffness mode. The helical spring operates with its full number of effective turns, undertaking the main task of supporting the static weight of the vehicle body through its connection with the top of the piezoelectric ceramic stack main shaft assembly 500 and the bottom support cover 400. At this time, the actuating nut 606 is in its initial position, and the electromagnetic pin inside is in a retracted state, not interfering with the helical spring. At least three sets of bionic joints 700, evenly distributed circumferentially between the bottom of the assembly and the support cover 400, are in a follow-up state under normal operating conditions. It is connected in parallel with the main load-bearing path, providing slight, non-linear auxiliary support, but does not dominate the load-bearing. The annular sealed oil chamber 602 is filled with hydraulic oil, and the miniature servo valve 603 inside is in a specific opening state according to the control command of the miniature central controller, preparing for the upcoming force transmission.

[0053] Subsequently, when the piezoelectric ceramic stack spindle assembly 500 generates millisecond-level micro-extension and contraction according to the command, the annular damping spring 504 fixed to its bottom drives the main piston 601 to perform a perfectly synchronized micro-reciprocating motion. Since the liquid is almost incompressible, the minute displacement of the main piston 601 within the annular sealed oil chamber 602 is immediately converted into a huge pressure change in the hydraulic oil within the chamber. The resulting pressure pushes the walls of the oil chamber, thus amplifying the micrometer-level displacement and Newton-level force of the piezoelectric stack into a millimeter-level stroke and a thousand-Newton-level macroscopic thrust or pull. During this process, the micro servo valve 603 dynamically adjusts the connection state between the upper and lower chambers to optimize response speed, control damping characteristics, and smooth pressure pulsations, ensuring that the output macroscopic force is stable, precise, and controllable. Secondly, when the micro central controller determines that the local support stiffness needs to be increased or decreased—for example, predicting that it will pass over large potholes requiring increased stiffness, or entering a straight road requiring decreased stiffness to improve comfort—it sends a target position command to the drive controller 605. This causes the drive controller 605 to start the motor built into the actuating nut 606, driving the actuating nut 606 to rotate along the thread on the outer wall of the central rod 604, thus moving it precisely upwards or downwards, i.e., sliding in the first direction. When the actuating nut 606 moves to the spring gap of the target number of turns, the micro central controller issues a command, and the electromagnetic pin inside the actuating nut 606 pops out instantly, inserting and locking the spring gap at that point. This makes the helical spring coil above the locked point rigidly connected to the lower structure, no longer participating in elastic deformation under force, thereby reducing the effective number of working turns of the helical spring. The reduction in the effective number of working turns directly leads to a step increase in the local stiffness of the helical spring at that point; for example, locking a certain number of turns can increase the local stiffness. When encountering unexpectedly severe impacts, the bionic joint 700 operates. When the impact force is enormous, causing the main helical spring to be rapidly compressed to near its limit stroke, or when the relative displacement between the bearing cover 400 and the overall shell exceeds a preset safety threshold, the bionic joint 700 passively compresses or stretches into its nonlinear operating region. At this time, the force and displacement curves of the bionic joint 700 become sharply steeper, and the stiffness increases nonlinearly instantaneously, much like how ligaments provide final protective rigid support when a human joint is excessively bent, similar to the meniscus structure in insects or humans. This provides a progressive and robust mechanical stop, preventing the helical spring from being compressed or internal precision components, such as hydraulic chambers, from being damaged by hard impacts. When the special working condition ends, the drive controller 605 controls the electromagnetic pin to retract, the actuating nut 606 to move back to its default position, the helical spring to restore all effective working turns, and the overall stiffness returns to a comfortable mode. The miniature servo valve 603 is adjusted to a suitable opening for cruise control, restoring the pressure balance within the hydraulic chamber outside the main piston 601. Simultaneously, after the impact, the bionic joint 700 automatically disengages from the nonlinear hard limit zone and returns to its follow-up state due to its own restoring force and joint elasticity.

[0054] Among them, the preferred ones are, such as Figure 5 and Figure 6 As shown, the non-Newtonian fluid damping cavity assembly 800 has at least one fluid detection sensor 803, which is embedded inside the main force-bearing cavity 801. The non-Newtonian fluid damping cavity assembly 800 is a sealed cavity surrounding a variable stiffness helical spring structure. The main force-bearing cavity 801 is filled with a shear-thickening fluid, and a piezoelectric ceramic shear ring 804 is embedded inside the main force-bearing cavity 801. An impeller exciter 110 driven by a miniature drive shaft that passes through the drive controller 605 is installed at the bottom of the main force-bearing cavity 801, and a bottom support plate 802 is installed at the bottom of the main force-bearing cavity 801. The top of the main force-bearing cavity 801 is coaxially fitted with a second sealing cavity 902, a receiving cavity 900, and a first sealing cavity 901, forming an integrated cavity. The integrated cavity is coaxially sleeved on the outer top of the main force-bearing cavity 801 and can slide along the axial direction of the main force-bearing cavity 801. The outer wall of the integrated cavity is sealed to the interior of the main force-bearing cavity 801, isolating the inner cavity of the air spring bladder 200 from the interior of the integrated cavity. A connecting sleeve 120 is fitted around the outside of the second sealing cavity 902. Specifically, during normal, stable driving, the shear-thickening fluid filling the main force-bearing cavity 801 is in a static or low-shear-rate state, a viscous but flowable liquid, providing basic and moderate passive damping. The fluid detection sensor 803, which is embedded inside the main force-bearing cavity 801, such as at least one of temperature sensor, viscosity sensor or pressure sensor, works continuously to feed back real-time fluid status data, such as temperature or basic viscosity, to the micro central controller, providing reference parameters for precise control.

[0055] Secondly, the integrated cavity, consisting of the first sealing cavity 901, the receiving cavity 900, and the second sealing cavity 902, is slidably connected to the outer bearing housing 100 via the external connecting sleeve 120. The entire integrated cavity is coaxially sleeved on top of the main force-bearing cavity 801, and a precision seal allows the two to slide relative to each other axially, but the internal medium gas and fluid are completely isolated.

[0056] Subsequently, when the micro-central controller anticipates or senses a specific type of road surface excitation, such as encountering high-frequency fine vibrations or large impacts, it will actively trigger a damping change. Based on the prediction, the micro-central controller applies a high-frequency oscillating voltage to the piezoelectric ceramic shear ring 804 embedded in the inner wall of the main force-bearing cavity 801. This causes the piezoelectric ceramic shear ring 804 to generate high-frequency, micro-amplitude radial vibrations, applying extremely high-frequency shearing to the fluid layer adhering to its surface. Under high-frequency shearing excitation, the internal microscopic particle structure of the shear-thickening fluid is instantly locked, macroscopically manifested as a transformation from a liquid state to a high-viscosity, solid-like gel state within milliseconds. The internal motion resistance, i.e., the damping force, increases sharply. Simultaneously, the micro-central controller activates the drive controller 605, causing it to rotate the through-through micro-drive shaft, thereby driving the impeller exciter 110 located at the bottom of the main force-bearing cavity 801 to rotate. This causes the impeller exciter 110 to agitate the fluid within the cavity, generating large-scale turbulence and shearing. This allows the fluid viscosity to rise rapidly and uniformly across the entire range, achieving and maintaining a high damping level. This makes the damping level more suitable for operating conditions requiring sustained high damping, or for preheating fluids at low temperatures to maintain their activity.

[0057] In the high-damping state, when the wheel encounters an impact, the main force-bearing cavity 801 and its internal solid-like or high-viscosity fluid first provide enormous resistance, acting like a soft wall to quickly absorb and dissipate impact energy, greatly suppressing the peak impact force and the upward speed of the tire. Simultaneously, the integrated cavity, slidably connected to the top of the main force-bearing cavity 801, has its outer wall sealed to or integrally formed with the inner wall of the air spring bladder 200. When the impact force pushes the wheel upward, the main force-bearing cavity 801 slides upward relative to the integrated cavity, compressing it. This action simultaneously compresses the air spring bladder 200. The increased internal air pressure of the compressed air spring bladder 200 generates a non-linearly increasing, reverse supporting force. This force, in conjunction with the high-damping force, smoothly catches and lifts the vehicle body. Furthermore, during this process, the air chamber of the air spring bladder 200 is physically isolated from the integrated cavity and the fluid chamber of the main force-bearing cavity 801. This ensures the purity of the air and the stability of the fluid, avoiding mutual contamination and complex sealing problems.

[0058] Furthermore, it should be noted that during the impact process, the fluid detection sensor 803 continuously monitors the actual state of the fluid, such as dynamic pressure and effective viscosity, and feeds back the data in real time. This allows the micro central controller to compare the feedback data with the expected results. For example, if the damping force is still insufficient, the excitation intensity to the piezoelectric ceramic shear ring 804 or the impeller actuator 110 is increased. If the damping force is too large, resulting in harshness, the excitation is appropriately reduced to bring the fluid state closer to the optimal level.

[0059] After the road surface returns to a smooth state, the micro central controller stops sending signals to the impeller actuator 110. This allows the microstructure of the shear-thickened fluid to gradually unlock with the assistance of micro-vibration of the annular damping spring 504 after the continuous shearing action is lost, restoring it to a free, viscous liquid state within tens to hundreds of milliseconds. The damping force returns to its base value, preparing for the next action. Furthermore, under the elastic restoring force of the air spring bladder 200, the integrated cavity slides axially along the main force-bearing cavity 801, returning to its relative initial position.

[0060] More specifically, such as Figure 3 , Figures 7-9As shown, the biomimetic joint 700 is an X-shaped hinge structure with nonlinear stiffness characteristics. Its top and bottom ends are respectively hinged to the bottom of the connecting sleeve 120 and the top of the bearing cover 400, providing auxiliary support and overload protection. The biomimetic joint 700 includes: an X-shaped hinge connection structure consisting of a connecting pivot end 710, a first-direction hinge frame 720, and a second-direction hinge frame 730. The first-direction hinge frame 720 and the second-direction hinge frame 730 are equipped with a synchronous sliding adjustment frame 740 that adjusts according to the direction of the X-shaped hinge connection structure; the top of the hinge base 750 is sequentially hinged to the first-direction hinge frame 720 and the second-direction hinge frame 730. The articulated base frame 750 includes: an inner sliding cavity 754 formed inside the articulated base frame 750; a hinge point seat 755 slidably connected along the interior of the inner sliding cavity 754, with its top connected to the bottom end of the synchronous sliding control frame 740; two sets of shape memory alloy spiral wires 751 are configured and connected to the bottom end of the hinge point seat 755 via a limiting sliding post 752 installed at the top; a micro pulse generator controller 753 is connected to the bottom of the shape memory alloy spiral wires 751, and the micro pulse generator controller 753 is embedded inside the articulated base frame 750. Specifically, when the vehicle is driving normally on a smooth road surface or experiencing small vibrations, the bionic joint component 700 is in a basic working state. At this time, the two sets of shape memory alloy spiral wires 751 are not energized and are in a relatively soft martensitic state. The X-type hinge connection structure is formed by the cross-hinging of the first direction hinge frame 720 and the second direction hinge frame 730 through a connecting pivot end 710, which can rotate freely and flexibly within a certain angle. When the suspension experiences minor compression or stretching due to uneven road surfaces, the force is transmitted through the bottom of the connecting sleeve 120 and the top of the bearing cover 400 to both ends of the bionic joint 700, forcing the X-shaped hinge connection structure to change its angle. This change causes the internal synchronous sliding adjustment frame 740 to move, which in turn stretches or relaxes the shape memory alloy spiral wire 751 through the hinge point seat 755. At this stage, the rotation of the X-shaped hinge connection structure and the elastic deformation of the shape memory alloy spiral wire 751 jointly absorb minor impacts, providing initial, smooth auxiliary cushioning, much like the coordination of muscles and ligaments when walking. When the wheel encounters a moderate impact, such as going over a speed bump, the suspension compresses rapidly. The impact force pushes the bearing cover 400 upward, causing the X-shaped hinge connection structure to be rapidly compressed, reducing its included angle. The rapid change in the angle of the X-shaped hinge connection structure simultaneously forces the synchronous sliding adjustment frame 740 to slide synchronously within its track. The downward movement of the synchronous sliding control frame 740 applies a pre-tension force to the two sets of shape memory alloy spiral wires 751 through the hinge point seat 755 connected to it. At the same time, the fiber optic sensing network embedded in the main load-bearing structure senses the sharp increase in strain rate and transmits the signal of an impending major impact to the micro central controller in advance.Based on the predicted signal from the Bragg grating sensing fiber or the judgment by the fluid detection sensor 803 that the impact has exceeded the threshold, the micro central controller immediately sends a high-intensity instantaneous current pulse to the micro pulse generator controller 753. This high-intensity instantaneous current pulse passes through the shape memory alloy spiral wire 751, instantly heating it above the austenitic phase transformation temperature. The shape memory alloy spiral wire 751 remembers its compressed shape, generating a powerful restoring force and contracting violently within milliseconds. Then, utilizing the powerful contraction of the shape memory alloy spiral wire 751, the synchronous sliding control frame 740 is rapidly pulled upwards or downwards through the sliding column 752 and the hinge point seat 755. This action forcibly changes the relative sliding position of the two frames of the X-shaped hinge connection structure, rapidly fixing or reducing the included angle to its limit, thus instantly transforming the entire X-shaped hinge connection structure from a freely rotating flexible joint into a geometrically locked rigid triangular support frame. At this moment, the equivalent stiffness of the bionic joint component 700 experiences an order-of-magnitude leap. It is no longer a buffer component, but a rigid short rod that is almost undeformable. Based on the active variable stiffness coil spring assembly 600, an additional extremely rigid force transmission path is connected in parallel to resist huge impacts in the strongest posture and prevent the suspension from being punctured.

[0061] If the impact intensity exceeds the design range of all active buffer structures—that is, with the shape memory alloy spiral wire 751 already locked—if the impact force continues to increase, the limiting sliding post 752 in the inner sliding cavity 754 will make contact. This causes the force and displacement curves of the overall biomimetic joint 700 to become extremely steep, fully exhibiting its nonlinear stiffness characteristics and providing a final rigid stop. Through the ultimate elastic deformation of its own structure, it absorbs and stores the final impact energy, ensuring that the bearing cover 400 does not undergo a hard metal-to-metal collision with the upper structure, thus protecting the stability of the internal precision core components.

[0062] After the impact, the micro-pulse generator controller 753 stops supplying power. The shape memory alloy spiral wire 751 cools naturally in the air or dissipates heat through the fluid cavity opened on the side of the hinge base 750, gradually returning to a soft martensitic state, and the contraction force disappears. At the same time, under the restoring force of the suspension system itself, mainly the rebound force of the coil spring and the air spring airbag 200, the compressed X-shaped hinge connection structure gradually opens, and the synchronous sliding adjustment frame 740 and the hinge point seat 755 slide back to their initial positions in the inner sliding cavity 754. The bionic joint component 700 fully returns to its initial flexible standby state, ready to cope with the next cycle.

[0063] It should be noted that the installation location of the overall device is as follows: Figure 1As shown, the air spring airbag 200 and the integrated active power control mechanism are connected in parallel via a mounting plate 300 and a support cover 400. The side or bottom end of the support cover 400 integrates a high-speed air valve and electrical interface communicating with the air spring airbag 200. The mounting plate 300 is connected to the external frame, and the support cover 400 is connected to the suspension linkage or bearing housing of the external wheel. Specifically, the entire device forms a modular assembly, rigidly connected to the vehicle subframe or body structure via the mounting plate 300 on top, and directly connected to the suspension linkage, steering knuckle, or bearing housing on the wheel side via the support cover 400 at the bottom. This mounting method makes it the sole load-bearing and actuation support connecting the vehicle body and the wheels. The micro central controller, based on the driving mode (e.g., Comfort, Sport, Off-road), rapidly inflates or deflates the air spring airbag 200 via the high-speed air valve integrated on the support cover 400. The air spring 200 expands or contracts, causing the entire assembly to extend and retract between mounting points, thereby adjusting the vehicle body to a preset static load height.

[0064] When any road surface unevenness causes vertical movement of the wheel, this movement is first directly input to the entire integrated active force control mechanism through the bearing cover 400. The impact force is transmitted along the path, causing part of it to compress the air spring bladder 200, and another part to push the bearing cover 400 closer to the mounting plate 300, compressing the internal helical spring, hydraulic chamber, and bionic joint 700. Specifically, the entire system can send a signal via a micro central controller to the innermost piezoelectric ceramic stack main shaft assembly 500, requiring it to output a specific waveform of anti-phase active force at a specific moment. Or it can send a signal to the drive controller 605 of the active variable stiffness helical spring assembly 600, requiring it to move and lock the actuating nut 606 to adjust the local stiffness. Or it can send a signal to the non-Newtonian fluid damping chamber assembly 800, triggering the piezoelectric ceramic shear ring 804 or the impeller exciter 110 to change the fluid viscosity. Or it can send a signal to the high-speed air valve to dynamically fine-tune the air pressure of the air spring bladder 200.

[0065] The wiring diagrams of the fluid detection sensor 803, the Bragg grating sensing fiber, and the thin-film pressure sensor array in this invention are common knowledge in the field. Their working principles are known technologies. The appropriate model is selected according to actual use. Therefore, the control method and wiring layout of the fluid detection sensor 803, the Bragg grating sensing fiber, and the thin-film pressure sensor array will not be explained in detail.

[0066] The device's operation and working principle are as follows: First, when the vehicle starts, the micro central controller installed within the support cover 400 is powered on, performs a self-check, and adjusts the air spring airbag 200 pressure via a high-speed air valve according to the preset driving mode, adjusting the vehicle body to its initial height. When the vehicle is in motion, the Bragg grating sensing fiber optic cable embedded in the external support housing 100 and the support cover 400 monitors structural strain in real time. The thin-film pressure sensor array on the tire side wirelessly provides feedback on ground pressure. Simultaneously, the micro central controller receives vehicle bus signals such as vehicle speed and steering, as well as road surface information from the anti-collision system. Then, the micro central controller integrates this information to predict road distance in advance, such as detecting speed bump impacts 100 milliseconds in advance. Subsequently, it analyzes and calculates the ideal compensation force required to maintain vehicle stability and optimal tire ground contact, and generates a set of coordinated control instructions. This allows the micro central controller to instantaneously trigger high-frequency micro-vibration of the piezoelectric ceramic shear ring 804 within the non-Newtonian fluid damping cavity assembly 800 when dealing with high-frequency vibrations. This causes the shear-thickening fluid within the cavity to become almost solid within milliseconds, resulting in a significant increase in damping force and filtering out high-frequency vibrations. In response to large impacts, before the impact occurs, the micro central controller instructs the actuating nut 606 of the active variable stiffness helical spring assembly 600 to move and lock part of the spring coil, increasing local stiffness. At the moment of impact, the piezoelectric ceramic stack main shaft assembly 500 outputs an anti-phase active force with an opposite waveform, which is hydraulically amplified and actively counteracts the impact. Simultaneously, the air spring bladder 200 provides large-stroke support force changes. If the impact is extremely large, the bionic joint component 700 will actively lock through its shape memory alloy helical wire 751, or reach a mechanical limit, providing ultimate rigid protection. At the same time, the fluid detection sensor 803, the Bragg grating sensing fiber optic cable, and the thin-film pressure sensor array feed back the execution effect to the micro central controller, realizing closed-loop fine-tuning. On smooth road sections, the entire system switches to high-efficiency mode, the non-Newtonian fluid damping cavity stops excitation, the piezoelectric stack can recover vibration energy, and the overall energy consumption is reduced. Once a new road condition is detected, the entire system is immediately awakened and enters the next working cycle.

[0067] Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art can still modify the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments or make equivalent substitutions for some of the technical features. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. An air spring shock absorbing device with body attitude compensation, characterized by, include: An integrated active power control mechanism is a multi-layer concentric cylindrical structure. From the inside out, it is coaxially arranged with a piezoelectric ceramic stack main shaft assembly (500), an active variable stiffness helical spring assembly (600) installed at the bottom of the piezoelectric ceramic stack main shaft assembly (500), and a non-Newtonian fluid damping cavity assembly (800) installed at the bottom of the active variable stiffness helical spring assembly (600). The whole is encapsulated in an external bearing housing (100). The air spring airbag (200) is located on top of the integrated active power control mechanism and is arranged in parallel to form the air spring shock absorption assembly. At least three sets of biomimetic joint components (700) are evenly distributed circumferentially between the bottom of the active variable stiffness helical spring assembly (600) and the bearing cover (400) provided at the bottom of the outer bearing housing (100). The non-Newtonian fluid damping cavity assembly (800) has at least one fluid detection sensor (803), which is embedded inside the structure of the main force-bearing cavity (801); The outer support shell (100) and the support cover (400) are both embedded with several Bragg grating sensing optical fibers. Each Bragg grating sensing optical fiber is engraved with several grating sensing points to form a distributed strain sensing area. A miniature central controller is installed inside the support cover (400) and forms a telecommunication connection with the fiber Bragg grating sensor and the fluid detection sensor, respectively; A thin-film pressure sensor array is disposed on the side of the wheel and is used to directly measure the tire contact pressure. The signal of the thin-film pressure sensor array is wirelessly connected to the central controller. The piezoelectric ceramic stack spindle assembly (500), the active variable stiffness helical spring assembly (600), and the non-Newtonian fluid damping cavity assembly (800) work together under the unified scheduling of the micro central controller, so that the piezoelectric ceramic stack spindle assembly (500) outputs an anti-phase force to accurately offset the impact, the active variable stiffness helical spring assembly (600) achieves a step increase in stiffness by locking the number of turns of the actuating nut, and the non-Newtonian fluid damping cavity assembly (800) filters vibration by instantaneously changing the viscosity through excitation.

2. The air spring suspension device with body attitude compensation of claim 1, wherein: The piezoelectric ceramic stack spindle assembly (500) is formed by stacking annular piezoelectric ceramic sheets (503). An outer limiting frame (502) is installed on the outside of the annular piezoelectric ceramic sheets (503). The top of the outer limiting frame (502) is connected to the mounting plate (300) installed on the top of the universal joint (501) through the connected universal joint (501). An annular damping spring (504) is installed on the annular piezoelectric ceramic sheets (503).

3. The air spring suspension device with body attitude compensation of claim 1, wherein: The active variable stiffness helical spring assembly (600) includes: The hydraulic amplification chamber structure has a main piston (601) fixedly connected to the bottom of the annular damping spring (504). The hydraulic amplification chamber structure is an annular sealed oil chamber (602). The interior of the annular sealed oil chamber (602) is connected to the upper and lower chambers through the installed micro servo valve (603). The hydraulic oil is driven by the micro displacement of the main piston (601) to generate amplified output force. A variable stiffness helical spring structure is located at the bottom of the hydraulic amplification chamber.

4. The air spring suspension device with body attitude compensation of claim 3, wherein: The variable stiffness helical spring structure includes: A central rod (604) is provided with a helical spring coaxially mounted on its exterior; Actuating nut (606) is sleeved on the outside of the center rod (604) and contacts the spring gap of the helical spring. The actuating nut (606) has a motor and an electromagnetic pin that can pop out and engage with the spring gap of the helical spring. A drive controller (605) is electrically connected to a micro central controller and controls the actuating nut (606) to slide in a first direction outside the central rod (604).

5. The air spring suspension device with body attitude compensation of claim 1, wherein: The non-Newtonian fluid damping cavity assembly (800) is a sealed cavity surrounding a variable stiffness helical spring structure. The main force-bearing cavity (801) is filled with a shear-thickening fluid. A piezoelectric ceramic shear ring (804) is embedded inside the main force-bearing cavity (801). An impeller exciter (110) driven by a miniature drive shaft of a through-drive controller (605) is installed at the bottom of the main force-bearing cavity (801). A bottom bearing plate (802) is installed at the bottom of the main force-bearing cavity (801).

6. The air spring suspension device with body attitude compensation of claim 1, wherein: The top of the main force-bearing cavity (801) is coaxially provided with a second sealing cavity (902), a receiving cavity (900) and a first sealing cavity (901) forming an integrated cavity. The integrated cavity is coaxially sleeved on the outer top of the main force-bearing cavity (801) and can slide along the axial direction of the main force-bearing cavity (801). The outer wall of the integrated cavity is sealed to the inside of the main force-bearing cavity (801), so that the inner cavity of the air spring airbag (200) is isolated from the inside of the integrated cavity. A connecting sleeve (120) is sleeved on the outside of the second sealing cavity (902).

7. The air spring suspension device with body attitude compensation of claim 1, wherein: The biomimetic joint (700) is an X-shaped hinge structure with nonlinear stiffness characteristics. Its top and bottom ends are respectively hinged to the bottom of the connecting sleeve (120) and the top of the bearing cover (400) to provide auxiliary support and overload protection.

8. The air spring suspension device with body attitude compensation of claim 7, wherein: The biomimetic joint (700) includes: The X-type hinge connection structure comprises a connecting pivot end (710), a first direction hinge frame (720), and a second direction hinge frame (730). The first direction hinge frame (720) and the second direction hinge frame (730) are equipped with a synchronous sliding control frame (740) that is adjusted according to the direction of the X-type hinge connection structure. The top of the hinged base frame (750) is sequentially hinged to the first direction hinge frame (720) and the second direction hinge frame (730).

9. The air spring suspension device with body attitude compensation of claim 8, wherein: The hinged base frame (750) includes: An inner sliding cavity (754) is formed inside the hinged base frame (750). The hinge point seat (755) is slidably connected to the inside of the inner sliding cavity (754), and its top is connected to the bottom end of the synchronous sliding control frame (740). The shape memory alloy spiral wire (751) is configured in two sets and connected by a limiting sliding post (752) installed at the top and a hinge point seat (755) at the bottom. The bottom of the shape memory alloy spiral wire (751) is connected to a micro pulse generator controller (753), which is embedded inside the hinge base frame (750).

10. The air spring suspension device with body attitude compensation of claim 1, wherein: The air spring airbag (200) and the integrated active power control mechanism are connected in parallel through a mounting plate (300) and a support cover (400). The side or bottom end of the support cover (400) is integrated with a high-speed air valve and an electrical interface that communicates with the air spring airbag (200). The mounting plate (300) is connected to the external frame, and the support cover (400) is connected to the suspension link or bearing seat of the external wheel.

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