Lightweight rear support for cross-country command vehicle

Abstract

The application relates to the technical field of vehicle engineering, and discloses a lightweight rear support of a cross-country command military vehicle, which comprises a main base used for being connected with a vehicle body, a mounting platform used for carrying equipment, and a space truss structure serving as a main force-bearing frame and connected with the main base and the mounting platform at two ends respectively; wherein the space truss structure is composed of a plurality of rod members, and the plurality of rod members are arranged in a non-uniform manner. The non-uniform arrangement of the plurality of rod members is generated based on a topology optimization algorithm. The topology optimization algorithm aims to minimize the structure mass under the constraint of an off-road load spectrum. In the space truss structure, a plurality of rod members intersect to form a connecting node, and the connecting node and the rod members connected therewith are manufactured through an integrated forming process. Through the topology optimization algorithm based on the measured off-road load spectrum, a non-uniform space truss structure of bionics is generated, so that the material is only distributed on efficient force transmission paths, and redundant mass is eliminated from the source.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of vehicle engineering technology, specifically to a lightweight rear support for an off-road command military vehicle. Background Technology

[0002] As a mobile command center on the battlefield, the off-road command vehicle needs to maneuver at high speeds in extreme road conditions while ensuring the continuous and stable operation of the precision communication, reconnaissance, and computing equipment it carries. Its rear support frame, as a key load-bearing structure connecting the vehicle body and mission equipment, directly affects the vehicle's payload, mobility, and the reliability of the mission system.

[0003] Traditional rear support frames for military off-road vehicles typically employ welded or bolted steel profiles. This design relies heavily on engineering experience, resulting in mostly regular geometric frames with significant material redundancy and excessive weight. This severely encroaches on valuable vehicle payload space, impacting range and mobility. Regarding load-bearing and vibration protection, traditional supports are usually rigid or have simple damping connections, providing only limited static support and lacking a systematic approach to the complex dynamics of off-road environments. Low-frequency, high-impact shocks and broadband random vibrations generated during vehicle operation are directly transmitted to precision equipment through rigid supports, easily leading to equipment failure, performance degradation, and even hardware damage. Furthermore, existing supports are cumbersome for equipment installation and functional expansion, relying heavily on multiple bolts for fastening, resulting in low disassembly and assembly efficiency. Their limited structural functionality also makes them unsuitable for the rapid deployment and flexible reconfiguration requirements of modern battlefield command systems.

[0004] Therefore, existing rear support systems for off-road command vehicles have significant shortcomings in terms of lightweight design, dynamic environmental adaptability, and mission agility, making them unsuitable for future high-mobility, high-reliability, and modular combat requirements. There is an urgent need for a new lightweight rear support solution that can fundamentally achieve efficient structural load-bearing, provide superior equipment protection, and support rapid operation. Summary of the Invention

[0005] To address the shortcomings of existing technologies, this invention provides a lightweight rear support for off-road command military vehicles, which solves the problems of excessive weight, insufficient vibration protection, and low operational efficiency of traditional off-road command military vehicle rear supports, thus restricting vehicle mobility, equipment reliability, and rapid response capabilities.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides the following technical solution: a lightweight rear support for an off-road command military vehicle, comprising:

[0007] Main base, used for connection with the vehicle body;

[0008] Installation platform, used to support equipment;

[0009] The space truss structure serves as the main load-bearing frame, with its two ends connected to the main base and the installation platform, respectively.

[0010] The space truss structure is composed of rods, and the rods are distributed in a non-uniform manner.

[0011] Preferably, the non-uniform arrangement of the rods is generated based on a topology optimization algorithm.

[0012] Preferably, the topology optimization algorithm aims to minimize the structural mass under the constraints of the off-road load spectrum.

[0013] Preferably, in the space truss structure, multiple members intersect to form a connection node, and the connection node and the member it is connected to are manufactured by an integrated molding process.

[0014] Preferably, the integrated molding process is a metal additive manufacturing process.

[0015] Preferably, the non-uniform arrangement of the rods forms at least one continuous main load-bearing path between the main base and the installation platform, and the rods constituting the main load-bearing path are main load-bearing reinforcements.

[0016] Preferably, the main load-bearing reinforcement is a variable cross-section tubular component.

[0017] Preferably, the internal cavity of the main load-bearing rib is filled with a regular polycellular material.

[0018] Preferably, the mounting platform is provided with a device mounting interface, which includes a quick-locking mechanism for fixing the device and an elastic vibration isolator disposed between the mounting platform and the device.

[0019] Preferably, the installation platform is connected to the space truss structure via an elastic vibration isolation component.

[0020] Working Principle: The working principle of this invention's lightweight rear support for off-road command military vehicles ranges from digital virtual optimization to physical entity manufacturing, and then to system dynamics control. Its core begins with topology optimization design based on a high-fidelity off-road load spectrum: within a pre-defined three-dimensional design space connecting the main base and the installation platform, the optimization objective is to minimize structural flexibility, while applying multiple constraints such as volume fraction, minimum size, and frequency. Iterative calculations using the variable density method with finite element software are performed. The algorithm automatically redistributes materials based on the sensitivity of each element's contribution to the overall stiffness. After dozens to hundreds of iterations, a clear three-dimensional cloud map showing the high-density material path is generated. These meandering, continuous, and biomimetic paths intuitively reveal the optimal force transmission trajectory under complex multi-condition loads. Designers extract and reconstruct the skeleton based on this, resulting in an optimal lightweight load-bearing frame—a spatial truss structure composed of non-uniform and asymmetrically arranged members.

[0021] To achieve this highly complex optimized configuration, this invention employs a metal additive manufacturing process (preferably laser selective melting technology) for integrated molding. A high-energy laser melts pre-laid metal powder (such as high-strength aluminum alloy or maraging steel) layer by layer according to the 3D model slice data, allowing the entire spatial truss structure, including irregularly shaped connection nodes and variable cross-section members, to be grown in a single step. The nodes and members are completely fused at the metallurgical level, completely eliminating the weak points of traditional welding. Crucially, the variable cross-section tubular main load-bearing ribs constituting the main load-bearing path can have their cavities simultaneously printed and filled with periodically arranged metal lattice multicellular material. This microstructural design significantly enhances the local stability and impact energy absorption capacity of the thin-walled tube, achieving synergistic reinforcement at both the macro and micro scales.

[0022] Based on a superior load-bearing structure, this invention integrates an innovative two-stage synergistic vibration isolation system to achieve ultimate protection for precision equipment. The first-stage vibration isolation is located between the mounting platform and the space truss structure, consisting of high-performance hydraulic damping vibration isolation components. Its internal precision fluid damping channels efficiently dissipate low-frequency (1-10Hz), high-amplitude impact energy from off-road surfaces. Simultaneously, through stiffness design, it actively adjusts the natural frequency of the mounting platform subsystem away from the main excitation frequency band of the vehicle body, fundamentally preventing resonance amplification. The second-stage vibration isolation is embedded in the equipment mounting interface and consists of nonlinear elastic vibration isolators arranged in a specific array, tightly integrated with a fast and reliable eccentric cam locking mechanism. It is primarily responsible for filtering residual mid-to-high frequency vibrations (10-500Hz) after the first-stage attenuation and further smoothing impact peaks. Its spatial arrangement ensures effective isolation of vibrations in all directions. These two stages of vibration isolation, through careful matching of dynamic parameters, achieve frequency decoupling and functional complementarity, forming a stepped dissipation channel for vibration energy from the severely bumpy vehicle body to the sensitive equipment. Ultimately, this invention achieves extreme lightweighting by deeply integrating the optimal skeleton generated through topology optimization, the integrated body realized through additive manufacturing, and the intelligent nervous system constructed through two-level vibration isolation, while ensuring ultra-high reliability of the connection and ultra-stable operating environment of the equipment in extreme off-road environments.

[0023] This invention provides a lightweight rear support for off-road command military vehicles. It offers the following advantages:

[0024] 1. This invention utilizes a topology optimization algorithm based on measured off-road load spectra to drive the generation of a biomimetic non-uniform spatial truss structure. This ensures that materials are distributed only along efficient force transmission paths, eliminating redundant mass from the design stage. Combined with a composite design featuring variable cross-section main load-bearing ribs and internal metal lattice filling, it simultaneously strengthens the structure at both the micro and macro scales. Finally, through integrated metal additive manufacturing, it avoids the additional weight and strength reduction associated with traditional welding and bolted connections. This technological approach allows the rear support to achieve a weight reduction of up to 40%-50% compared to traditional welded steel structures while bearing the same complex loads, significantly improving the vehicle's payload and maneuverability, and achieving a fundamental unity between lightweight design and high rigidity and toughness.

[0025] 2. This invention constructs a two-tiered active protection system that coordinates "system-level low-frequency vibration isolation" and "equipment-level broadband filtering." The first-tier vibration isolation component dissipates low-frequency impact energy through hydraulic damping and precisely controls the system modes, fundamentally avoiding the risk of resonance. The second-tier vibration isolator array utilizes the nonlinear material properties to directionally filter mid-to-high frequency vibrations. The two tiers achieve frequency decoupling and functional complementarity through dynamic parameter matching, forming a stepped dissipation channel for vibration energy. This system can attenuate the comprehensive vibration and impact energy transmitted to precision equipment by 1-2 orders of magnitude, providing a super-stable dynamic environment comparable to laboratory-level conditions for critical equipment such as communication and computing devices under extreme off-road conditions, greatly ensuring mission continuity and reliability.

[0026] 3. The eccentric cam quick-lock mechanism integrated into the installation platform enables "one-button" tool-free rapid locking and unlocking of the equipment. Single-person operation can be completed within 30 seconds, significantly shortening tactical preparation time. The modular design concept, combined with standard guide rails on the platform side, allows for rapid replacement of different functional modules according to mission requirements. Simultaneously, the integrated structure and weather-resistant materials significantly reduce maintenance needs common in traditional structures, such as bolt loosening and weld fatigue. These designs make the rear support not only a load-bearing component but also a highly integrated, fast-responding, and easy-to-maintain mission expansion platform, significantly improving the deployment speed, functional flexibility, and overall operational efficiency of the command vehicle in field environments. Attached Figure Description

[0027] Figure 1 This is a perspective view of the lightweight rear support in this invention;

[0028] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the lightweight rear support in this invention;

[0029] Figure 3 For the present invention Figure 2 Enlarged view of point A in the image;

[0030] Figure 4This is an exploded view of the lightweight support structure in this invention;

[0031] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the space truss structure in this invention;

[0032] Figure 6 This is an exploded view of the space truss structure in this invention;

[0033] Figure 7 This is a flowchart illustrating the rod arrangement method in this invention.

[0034] Among them, 1. Main base; 2. Installation platform; 3. Space truss structure; 4. Connection node; 5. Equipment installation interface; 301. Main load-bearing reinforcement; 302. Regular polycellular material; 501. Quick-lock mechanism; 502. Elastic vibration isolator. Detailed Implementation

[0035] 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.

[0036] Please see the appendix Figure 1 -Appendix Figure 7 This invention provides a lightweight rear support for an off-road command military vehicle, characterized in that it comprises:

[0037] Main base 1, used for connection with the vehicle body;

[0038] Installation platform 2 is used to support the equipment;

[0039] The space truss structure 3 serves as the main load-bearing frame, with its two ends connected to the main base 1 and the installation platform 2, respectively.

[0040] Among them, the space truss structure 3 is composed of rods, and the distribution of the rods is non-uniform.

[0041] The non-uniform arrangement of the rods is generated based on a topology optimization algorithm.

[0042] The topology optimization algorithm aims to minimize the structural mass under the constraints of the off-road load spectrum.

[0043] Specifically, this method treats the design space—the maximum allowable physical space for the rear support—as a grid composed of countless tiny units. Through mathematical algorithms, it automatically "removes" inefficient materials, retains efficient force transmission paths, and ultimately forms the optimal distribution of members. The specific steps are as follows:

[0044] Firstly, based on the overall vehicle layout requirements, a continuous, regular three-dimensional solid space is defined between the main base 1 and the mounting platform 2. This space is typically a cuboid or a polyhedron slightly adjusted to suit the shape of the mounting space. This space serves as the initial material domain for topology optimization. At the bolt holes connecting the main base 1 to the vehicle body beam, full constraints are applied, fixing all translational and rotational degrees of freedom. The key connection points on the mounting platform 2 with the equipment are typically four or six mounting points, where multi-condition loads extracted from the off-road load spectrum are applied. The load spectrum is based on acceleration-time history data of the target vehicle measured on standard off-road surfaces or obtained through multibody dynamics simulation. At least the following representative static equivalent load conditions are typically extracted for optimization: vertical impact, emergency braking, emergency steering, and torsional loads. Furthermore, the solid portions of the main base 1 and mounting platform 2 are designated as non-design areas, meaning the optimization algorithm will not alter the material distribution in these areas, ensuring the integrity of the interface structure and the mounting dimensions.

[0045] Secondly, set optimization goals and constraints: The core objective of optimization is to minimize the weight of the structure while meeting all constraints. Specifically, this means specifying that the final remaining material volume cannot exceed 15% to 25% of the initial design space; this percentage directly determines the degree of lightweighting. Simultaneously, to avoid the software designing overly fine and unmanufacturable structures, minimum dimensional constraints need to be set, such as specifying the minimum diameter of the members and the draft angle required for casting. Furthermore, a dynamic performance requirement must be set, such as the structure's first natural frequency must be greater than 25Hz, to avoid the vehicle's own vibration frequency range and prevent resonance during use that could lead to structural damage.

[0046] Third, a commercial topology optimization software (ANSYS Tosca in this embodiment) is used to solve the problem using the variable density method (SIMP). The optimization software first divides the entire design space into many small element meshes and assigns each element a pseudo-density value between 0 and 1, where 0 represents voids and 1 represents solids. During the calculation, the software calculates the stress and deformation of the structure under load based on the current density distribution and uses sensitivity analysis to determine the impact of density changes in each element on the overall performance. Then, based on these analysis results, the density values ​​of the elements are gradually adjusted: the density of low-stress areas approaches 0 (equivalent to deletion), and the density of high-stress areas approaches 1 (equivalent to retention). After dozens to hundreds of such iterative calculations, when the density distribution stabilizes and no longer changes significantly, the optimization converges. At this point, a three-dimensional material distribution map composed of high-density regions will appear in the design space, clearly outlining the main force transmission paths.

[0047] Fourth, after optimization, the calculated material distribution map needs to be converted into a manufacturable design model. A common approach is to select a suitable density threshold, such as 0.3 to 0.5, and extract the material's skeletal structure. The generated image shows multiple main force transmission paths connecting the main base 1 and the installation platform 2, which are the subsequent main load-bearing ribs 301, as well as some secondary branch paths used for auxiliary stability. These paths exhibit a non-uniform, asymmetrical natural shape. By performing surface fitting and solidification, these skeletons can be converted into a 3D CAD model suitable for engineering manufacturing. In this process, continuous force transmission paths are reconstructed as the centerlines of the members, and connection nodes naturally form where the members intersect, ultimately constituting a complete spatial truss structure 3.

[0048] In the spatial truss structure 3, multiple members intersect to form a connection node 4, and the connection node 4 and the members it is connected to are made by an integrated molding process.

[0049] The integrated molding process is a metal additive manufacturing process.

[0050] Specifically, the preferred integrated metal additive manufacturing process is selective laser melting (SLM). This process uses a high-energy laser beam as a heat source and scans and melts pre-laid metal powder (in this embodiment, high-strength aluminum alloy AlSi10Mg and maraging steel) layer by layer according to the two-dimensional contour data after slicing the three-dimensional CAD model. This allows the powder metallurgy to bond and accumulate layer by layer, ultimately forming a dense metal part.

[0051] The non-uniform arrangement of the members forms at least one continuous main load-bearing path between the main base 1 and the installation platform 2, and the members constituting the main load-bearing path are the main load-bearing reinforcement 301.

[0052] The main load-bearing reinforcement 301 is a variable cross-section tubular member.

[0053] The internal cavity of the main load-bearing rib 301 is filled with a regular polycellular material 302.

[0054] Specifically, the main load-bearing path is a set of high material density regions naturally converged by the topology optimization algorithm under given loads and constraints. In this invention, the regular polycellular material 302 is preferably a metal lattice structure, in which octahedral unit cells composed of thin metal rods are periodically arranged in three-dimensional space.

[0055] The installation platform 2 is provided with a device installation interface 5, which includes a quick-lock mechanism 501 for fixing the device and an elastic vibration isolator 502 disposed between the installation platform 2 and the device.

[0056] The installation platform 2 and the space truss structure 3 are connected by an elastic vibration isolation component.

[0057] Specifically, system-level low-frequency vibration isolation and modal control are achieved by an elastic vibration isolation component connecting the mounting platform 2 and the space truss structure 3. Its core principle is low-frequency, high-damping energy dissipation and active avoidance of system modal frequencies. This component, through its internal hydraulic damping mechanism, efficiently dissipates the low-frequency (1-10Hz), high-amplitude impact kinetic energy generated when the vehicle crosses obstacles, and precisely regulates the overall first-order natural frequency of the mounting platform 2 to a safe range far from the main excitation frequency band of the vehicle body. This fundamentally avoids dangerous system resonance and bears most of the low-frequency impact load. This section constitutes the macroscopic, basic buffer layer of equipment protection.

[0058] Equipment-level broadband vibration isolation and energy filtering are achieved by elastic vibration isolators 502 integrated into the equipment mounting interface 5. Their core working principle utilizes the nonlinear stiffness characteristics of the material to perform secondary filtering on the vibrations remaining after the first stage of isolation, focusing on attenuating mid-to-high frequency vibrations in the 10 to 500 Hz frequency band and residual impact peaks. These isolators are arranged in a specific spatial array on the mounting surface, simultaneously isolating vibrations from multiple directions, including vertical, lateral, and longitudinal directions. This level of isolation is close to the equipment, essentially adding a finely adjustable protective layer.

[0059] The two-stage vibration isolation system achieves frequency division and functional complementarity through matching dynamic parameters. Simply put, the first stage handles high-energy low-frequency impacts, while the second stage focuses on filtering residual vibrations over a wider frequency range. Working in series, they coordinate to avoid functional overlap or mutual interference, achieving segmented and selective dissipation of vibration energy along the transmission path. The final result is that the overall vibration and impact intensity transmitted to the equipment is reduced to one-tenth or even one-hundredth compared to direct rigid installation. This system provides highly efficient active protection covering the entire frequency band while ensuring reliable connections.

[0060] Although embodiments of the invention have been shown and described, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes, modifications, substitutions and alterations can be made to these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the invention, the scope of which is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A lightweight rear support for an off-road command military vehicle, characterized in that, include: Main base (1), used for connection with vehicle body; Installation platform (2) is used to support the equipment; The space truss structure (3) serves as the main load-bearing frame, with its two ends connected to the main base (1) and the installation platform (2) respectively. The space truss structure (3) is composed of rods, and the rods are distributed in a non-uniform manner. The non-uniform arrangement of the rods is generated based on a topology optimization algorithm; The topology optimization algorithm aims to minimize the structural mass under the constraints of the off-road load spectrum. In the space truss structure (3), multiple members intersect to form a connection node (4), and the connection node (4) and the members it is connected to are made by an integrated molding process; The integrated molding process is a metal additive manufacturing process; The non-uniform arrangement of the rods forms at least one continuous main load-bearing path between the main base (1) and the installation platform (2), and the rods constituting the main load-bearing path are main load-bearing reinforcements (301). The main load-bearing reinforcement (301) is a variable cross-section tubular component.

2. The lightweight rear support for off-road command military vehicles according to claim 1, characterized in that, The internal cavity of the main load-bearing rib (301) is filled with regular polycellular material (302).

3. The lightweight rear support for off-road command military vehicles according to claim 1, characterized in that, The installation platform (2) is provided with an equipment installation interface (5), which includes a quick-lock mechanism (501) for fixing the equipment and an elastic vibration isolator (502) disposed between the installation platform (2) and the equipment.

4. The lightweight rear support for off-road command military vehicles according to claim 1, characterized in that, The installation platform (2) is connected to the space truss structure (3) by an elastic vibration isolation component.

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