Mechanical valve, air spring and vehicle suspension system

Abstract

The mechanical valve, air spring, and vehicle suspension system disclosed in this application belong to the technical field of vehicle suspension device configuration. The mechanical valve includes an inflation assembly and a deflation assembly. The inflation assembly includes an inner tube, a piston rod, and a first elastic element. The piston rod passes through the interior of the inner tube along a first direction and abuts against the first elastic element to control the opening and closing of the inflation channel inside the inner tube. The deflation assembly includes an outer tube, a piston sleeve, and a second elastic element. The outer tube is sleeved outside the inner tube, and the outer tube and the inner tube enclose each other to form a deflation channel. The piston sleeve is inserted into the deflation channel along the first direction and abuts against the second elastic element to control the opening and closing of the deflation channel. The piston rod passes through the piston sleeve in the opposite direction of the first direction, and a gas channel is formed between the piston sleeve and the piston rod, which communicates with the inflation channel and the deflation channel respectively. This allows the mechanical valve to simultaneously perform inflation and deflation functions, meeting the bidirectional air pressure regulation requirements of the air spring.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the technical field of vehicle suspension device configuration, and in particular to a mechanical valve, air spring and vehicle suspension system. Background Technology

[0002] Air springs are an important component of a vehicle's suspension system. They adjust the air spring stiffness by dynamically regulating the inflation volume and pressure inside the airbag, thereby adapting to the vehicle's shock absorption needs under different driving conditions.

[0003] Currently, existing air springs typically employ separate inflation and deflation valves to control the inflation and deflation of the air bladder, respectively. However, because the inflation and deflation valves are two completely independent valve body structures, each equipped with its own valve core, return spring, sealing structure, and airflow channel, the overall size is large, requiring more space during assembly. Furthermore, the independent assembly of the two valve body structures can create multiple sealing leakage points, increasing both assembly complexity and manufacturing costs of the air spring. Summary of the Invention

[0004] In view of this, it is necessary to provide a mechanical valve, air spring, and vehicle suspension system that can solve the above-mentioned technical problems.

[0005] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, this application provides the following technical solution:

[0006] A mechanical valve is used in an air spring of a vehicle suspension system, the mechanical valve comprising:

[0007] An inflation assembly, comprising an inner tube, a piston rod, and a first elastic element, wherein the piston rod passes through the interior of the inner tube in a first direction and abuts against the first elastic element, for controlling the opening and closing of the inflation channel inside the inner tube;

[0008] A venting assembly includes an outer tube, a piston sleeve, and a second elastic element. The outer tube is sleeved outside the inner tube, and the outer tube and the inner tube form a venting channel. The piston sleeve is inserted into the venting channel along the first direction and abuts against the second elastic element to control the opening and closing of the venting channel.

[0009] The piston rod extends out of the piston sleeve in the opposite direction to the first direction, and a gas channel is formed between the piston sleeve and the piston rod. The gas channel is connected to the inflation channel and the deflation channel respectively.

[0010] Understandably, by integrating the inflation and deflation components into one unit, the mechanical valve simultaneously performs inflation and deflation functions, meeting the bidirectional air pressure regulation requirements of the air spring during use. This reduces the overall size of the mechanical valve, not only decreasing the space required for its assembly within the air spring and reducing potential sealing leaks, thus improving the air spring's reliability and lifespan, but also simplifying the assembly process and lowering manufacturing and maintenance costs. Furthermore, because the inflation and deflation channels of the mechanical valve share a common gas channel connected to the air chamber of the air bladder, the gas within the air chamber can complete the inflation and deflation process through the same gas channel. This shortens the gas path in and out of the air bladder, simplifies the gas path layout, and improves the responsiveness of the mechanical valve during operation, thereby enhancing the shock absorption smoothness of the air spring during operation.

[0011] In one embodiment, the inflation assembly further includes an air inlet plug, which is mounted on the piston rod and housed within the inflation channel, and the air inlet plug can press against the inner tube under the action of the piston rod to block the inflation channel;

[0012] And / or, the venting assembly further includes a vent plug, which is installed on the inner tube and housed inside the piston sleeve, and the piston sleeve is capable of pressing against the vent plug to block the venting passage.

[0013] It is understandable that, through the above-mentioned structural arrangement of the air inlet plug and / or air outlet plug, the piston rod's control over the opening and closing of the air inlet channel and the piston sleeve's control over the air outlet channel are independent of each other and do not interfere with each other, thereby helping to improve the independence of the mechanical valve's operation and reliability in air inlet control and air outlet control.

[0014] In one embodiment, the piston sleeve is slidably engaged with both the piston rod and the inner tube.

[0015] The piston sleeve has a first gas flow channel and a second gas flow channel extending along the first direction. The first gas flow channel is formed on a first mating section where the piston sleeve and the piston rod slide together, and the first gas flow channel is disposed on the gas passage. The second gas flow channel is formed on a second mating section where the piston sleeve and the inner tube slide together, and the second gas flow channel is connected to the venting passage and the gas passage respectively.

[0016] It is understandable that the above-mentioned piston sleeve structure ensures that the piston rod and piston sleeve do not interfere with each other when they move in the first direction, and ensures smooth airflow in the inflation and deflation channels under their respective working conditions.

[0017] In one embodiment, the inner fitting includes a connector portion disposed at one end of the outer fitting along the first direction;

[0018] The venting assembly further includes a filter ring, which is disposed within the venting channel and is pressed and limited by the outer pipe fitting onto the connector.

[0019] Understandably, by installing a filter ring in the venting channel, the filter ring's structural characteristics can reduce the noise of the gas discharged from the venting channel, thereby reducing the airflow noise generated when the mechanical valve is venting. On the other hand, it can prevent external dust and other impurities from entering the venting channel, thus improving the working stability and reliability of the mechanical valve during long-term use.

[0020] In one embodiment, the outer tube has a boss inside, which is screwed onto the inner tube and abuts against the second elastic member, so that the outer tube is limited and fixed to the inner tube along the first direction;

[0021] A third gas flow channel extending along the first direction is provided on the protrusion, and the third gas flow channel is connected to the venting channel.

[0022] It is understandable that by setting a boss on the outer pipe fitting, on the one hand, the assembly and fixation between the outer pipe fitting and the inner pipe fitting can be realized to ensure the stability of their relative positions; on the other hand, the boss can serve as a support structure for the second elastic element to meet the installation positioning and force support requirements of the second elastic element; at the same time, the third airflow channel set on the boss can ensure that the gas in the venting channel is discharged smoothly and avoids additional resistance to the venting process.

[0023] In one embodiment, the mechanical valve further includes a housing, which is sleeved on the piston sleeve and slidably engaged with the piston sleeve, and the housing is capable of abutting and limiting the piston sleeve in the opposite direction of the first direction;

[0024] The outer shell is fitted onto the outer tube and is threaded into the outer tube.

[0025] It is understandable that the above-mentioned shell structure allows for the assembly and fixation of the shell on the outer fitting, enabling the mechanical valve to be assembled into the air spring using the shell as the mounting base. This helps to improve the convenience and integration of the mechanical valve when installed on the air spring.

[0026] In one embodiment, the outer shell, the outer tube, and the piston sleeve together enclose a cavity;

[0027] The mechanical valve further includes a first sealing element, which is housed within the cavity and abuts against and seals the outer tube and the piston sleeve, respectively.

[0028] It is understandable that the structure of the first sealing element described above enables it to effectively seal the venting channel, preventing gas from leaking from the external gap of the outer pipe during exhaust, thereby ensuring the airtightness and reliability of the sealing fit of the venting channel.

[0029] In one embodiment, the inflation assembly further includes an air inlet connector, which is at least partially inserted into the interior of the inner tube and fixedly connected to the inner tube.

[0030] The air inlet connector is connected to the air inlet channel, and the air inlet connector abuts against the end of the first elastic member away from the piston rod.

[0031] It is understandable that, through the above-mentioned structural design of the air inlet connector, the air inlet connector can not only guide external gas into the inflation channel, but also serve as a support structure for the first elastic element, so as to meet the installation positioning and force support requirements of the first elastic element.

[0032] This application also claims protection for an air spring comprising an air bladder and the mechanical valve described above;

[0033] The airbag encloses an air cavity, and the inflation channel and the deflation channel are respectively connected to the air cavity through the gas channel.

[0034] This application also claims protection for a vehicle suspension system including the mechanical valve described above;

[0035] Alternatively, it may include the air springs described above.

[0036] Due to the application of the above solution, this application has the following advantages compared with the prior art:

[0037] The mechanical valve, air spring, and vehicle suspension system claimed in this application integrate the inflation and deflation components into one unit, enabling the mechanical valve to simultaneously perform inflation and deflation functions. This meets the bidirectional air pressure regulation requirements of the air spring during use, thereby reducing the overall size of the mechanical valve. This not only reduces the space required for its assembly within the air spring but also reduces the number of sealing leakage points during assembly, contributing to improved reliability and service life of the air spring. Furthermore, it simplifies the assembly process when mounting the mechanical valve onto the air spring, lowering manufacturing and maintenance costs. Simultaneously, because the inflation and deflation channels of the mechanical valve share a gas channel connected to the air chamber of the air bladder, the gas within the air chamber can complete the inflation and deflation process through the same gas channel. This shortens the gas path in and out of the air bladder, simplifies the air circuit layout, and improves the responsiveness of the mechanical valve during operation, thus enhancing the shock absorption smoothness of the air spring during operation. Attached Figure Description

[0038] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application or the conventional technology, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the conventional technology will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the 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.

[0039] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a mechanical valve provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0040] Figure 2 This is a cross-sectional view of a mechanical valve provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0041] Figure 3 for Figure 2 Enlarged view of a portion of the image.

[0042] Figure 4 for Figure 2 Another enlarged view of a portion of the image.

[0043] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the piston sleeve provided in one embodiment of this application.

[0044] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the piston sleeve provided in one embodiment of this application from another perspective.

[0045] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an outer tube fitting provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0046] Figure 8 This is a cross-sectional view of an air spring provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0047] Reference numerals: 1000, air spring; 100, mechanical valve; 101, inflation channel; 102, deflation channel; 103, gas channel; 104, cavity; 10, inflation assembly; 11, inner fitting; 111, constriction; 112, connector; 12, piston rod; 13, first elastic element; 14, air inlet plug; 15, air inlet connector; 20, deflation assembly; 21, outer fitting; 211, boss; 2111, third gas flow channel; 212. Exhaust port; 22. Piston sleeve; 2201. First mating section; 2202. Second mating section; 221. First gas flow channel; 222. Second gas flow channel; 23. Second elastic element; 24. Vent plug; 25. Filter ring; 26. Piston top plate; 30. Outer shell; 40. First seal; 50. Second seal; 200. Air bladder; 201. Air chamber; 300. Fixing seat; 410. First baffle; 420. Second baffle. Detailed Implementation

[0048] To make the above-mentioned objectives, features, and advantages of this application more apparent and understandable, the specific embodiments of this application are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Many specific details are set forth in the following description to provide a thorough understanding of this application. However, this application can be implemented in many other ways different from those described herein, and those skilled in the art can make similar modifications without departing from the spirit of this application. Therefore, this application is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed below.

[0049] It should be noted that when a component is referred to as being "fixed to" or "set on" another component, it can be directly on the other component or there may be an intermediate component. When a component is considered to be "connected to" another component, it can be directly connected to the other component or there may be an intermediate component present. The terms "vertical," "horizontal," "upper," "lower," "left," "right," and similar expressions used in this application's specification are for illustrative purposes only and do not represent the only possible implementation.

[0050] Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of that feature. In the description of this application, "multiple" means at least two, such as two, three, etc., unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0051] In this application, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, "above" or "below" the second feature can mean that the first feature is in direct contact with the second feature, or that the first feature and the second feature are in indirect contact through an intermediate medium. Furthermore, "above," "over," and "on top" the second feature can mean that the first feature is directly above or diagonally above the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is at a higher horizontal level than the second feature. "Below," "below," and "under" the second feature can mean that the first feature is directly below or diagonally below the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is at a lower horizontal level than the second feature.

[0052] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used in this application have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this application belongs. The terminology used in this application is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the application. The term "and / or" as used in this application includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.

[0053] Please see Figure 8 The mechanical valve 100 claimed in this application is applied in the air spring 1000 of a vehicle suspension system to realize the adaptive inflation or deflation of the airbag 200 in the air spring 1000.

[0054] Please see Figures 1 to 7 The mechanical valve 100 provided in one embodiment of this application includes an inflation assembly 10 and a deflation assembly 20. The inflation assembly 10 includes an inner tube 11, a piston rod 12, and a first elastic member 13. The piston rod 12 passes through the interior of the inner tube 11 along a first direction Z and abuts against the first elastic member 13, for controlling the opening and closing of the inflation channel 101 inside the inner tube 11. The deflation assembly 20 includes an outer tube 21, a piston sleeve 22, and a second elastic member 23. The outer tube 21 is sleeved on the inner tube 11. The outer tube 21 and the inner tube 11 enclose each other to form a venting channel 102. The piston sleeve 22 is inserted into the venting channel 102 along the first direction Z and abuts against the second elastic member 23 to control the opening and closing of the venting channel 102. The piston rod 12 extends out of the piston sleeve 22 in the opposite direction of the first direction Z, and a gas channel 103 is formed between the piston sleeve 22 and the piston rod 12. The gas channel 103 is connected to the inflation channel 101 and the venting channel 102 respectively. When the mechanical valve 100 is applied to the air spring 1000, after external gas is introduced through the inflation channel 101, it can enter the air chamber 201 formed by the air bag 200 through the gas channel 103 to realize the inflation function; while the gas in the air chamber 201 of the air bag 200 can also be discharged through the gas channel 103 and the venting channel 102 to realize the venting function. Thus, after the mechanical valve 100 is assembled into the air spring 1000, it can adaptively perform the intake or venting operation according to the actual working conditions.

[0055] Here, both the first elastic element 13 and the second elastic element 23 are configured as compression springs. Of course, this is not the only option; those skilled in the art can also use the aforementioned first elastic element 13 and / or second elastic element 23 as a bellows with high elasticity, etc., which will not be elaborated further here.

[0056] As can be seen from the above, the mechanical valve 100 of this application integrates the inflation component 10 and the deflation component 20 into one unit, enabling the mechanical valve 100 to simultaneously perform inflation and deflation functions. This meets the bidirectional air pressure regulation requirements of the air spring 1000 during use. Compared to the existing two separate valve body structures of the inflation valve and the deflation valve, the overall volume of the mechanical valve 100 can be reduced. This not only reduces the space required for its assembly in the air spring 1000 and reduces the sealing leakage points when it is assembled on the air spring 1000, thus helping to improve the reliability and service life of the air spring 1000, but also simplifies the assembly process when assembling the mechanical valve 100 on the air spring 1000, reducing manufacturing and maintenance costs. Meanwhile, since the inflation channel 101 and deflation channel 102 of the mechanical valve 100 share a gas channel 103 that is connected to the air chamber 201 of the airbag 200, the gas in the air chamber 201 of the airbag 200 can complete the inflation and deflation process through the same gas channel 103. This shortens the path of gas entering and exiting the airbag 200, simplifies the gas path layout, and thus helps to improve the responsiveness of the mechanical valve 100 when it is working, which in turn helps to improve the shock absorption smoothness of the air spring during operation.

[0057] Please see Figure 2 , Figure 3 In one embodiment, the inflation assembly 10 further includes an air inlet plug 14, which is mounted on the piston rod 12 and housed within the inflation channel 101. The air inlet plug 14, driven by the piston rod 12, presses against the inner tube 11 to block the inflation channel 101, thereby achieving the closing control of the inflation channel 101 when the piston rod 12 moves in the opposite direction of the first direction Z. Of course, this is not the only possibility; those skilled in the art can also mount the air inlet plug 14 onto the inner tube 11, which will not be elaborated further here.

[0058] Here, the air inlet plug 14 is sleeved on the piston rod 12 and fixed relative to the piston rod 12, and the inner tube 11 includes a constricted portion 111, and the air inlet plug 14 can abut against the sealing constricted portion 111 under the drive of the piston rod 12, so as to block the air filling channel 101.

[0059] Please see Figure 1 , Figure 2 and Figure 4In one embodiment, the inflation assembly 10 further includes an air inlet connector 15, which is at least partially inserted into the interior of the inner tube 11 and fixedly connected to it. The air inlet connector 15 communicates with the inflation channel 101 and abuts against the end of the first elastic member 13 away from the piston rod 12. Here, the air inlet connector 15 is used to communicate with an external air passage, so that while guiding external gas into the inflation channel 101, the air inlet connector 15 can also serve as a support structure for the first elastic member 13 to meet the installation positioning and force support requirements of the first elastic member 13.

[0060] Here, the air intake connector 15 is partially inserted into the inner tube 11. Specifically, it can be fixedly connected to the inner tube 11 by means of threads, so that the air intake connector 15 can be screwed onto the inner tube 11. Of course, it is not limited to this. For those skilled in the art, the air intake connector 15 can also be assembled into the inner tube 11 by means of an interference fit, which will not be described in detail here.

[0061] Please see Figure 4 In one embodiment, the outer tube 21 has a boss 211 inside, which is screwed onto the inner tube 11 and abuts against the second elastic member 23, so that the outer tube 21 is limited and fixed on the inner tube 11 along the first direction Z, and the assembly and fixation between the outer tube 21 and the inner tube 11 are realized to ensure the stability of their relative positions; at the same time, the boss 211 can serve as a support structure for the second elastic member 23 to meet the installation positioning and force support requirements of the second elastic member 23.

[0062] Please see Figure 7 The boss 211 has a third gas flow channel 2111 extending along the first direction Z. The third gas flow channel 2111 is connected to the venting channel 102, allowing the gas flowing in the venting channel 102 to be discharged outward through the third gas flow channel 2111. In this way, the presence of the boss 211 does not obstruct the normal exhaust of the venting channel 102, thereby ensuring smooth gas discharge and avoiding the introduction of additional exhaust resistance due to the presence of the boss 211.

[0063] Please see Figure 2 , Figure 3 In one embodiment, the venting assembly 20 further includes a venting plug 24, which is installed on the inner tube 11 and housed inside the piston sleeve 22. The piston sleeve 22 can press against the venting plug 24 to block the venting passage 102, thereby realizing the closing control of the venting passage 102 when the piston sleeve 22 moves along the first direction Z.

[0064] Here, the vent plug 24 is fitted onto the constricted portion 111 of the inner tube 11, located outside the inner tube 11. Combined with the air inlet plug 14 located inside the inner tube 11, this makes the on / off control of the inflation channel 101 by the piston rod 12 and the on / off control of the venting channel 102 by the piston sleeve 22 independent and non-interfering with each other. This helps to improve the independence and reliability of the mechanical valve 100 in inflation control and venting control.

[0065] In one embodiment, the piston sleeve 22 is slidably engaged with the piston rod 12 and the inner tube 11 respectively, so that the piston sleeve 22 and the piston rod 12 do not interfere with each other when they move along the first direction Z, thereby ensuring the smooth flow of air in the inflation channel 101 and the deflation channel 102 when the mechanical valve 100 is working.

[0066] Please see Figure 2 , Figure 3 , Figure 5 and Figure 6 The piston sleeve 22 has a first gas flow channel 221 and a second gas flow channel 222 extending along the first direction Z. The first gas flow channel 221 is formed on the first mating section 2201 where the piston sleeve 22 and the piston rod 12 slide together, and is located on the gas passage 103. The second gas flow channel 222 is formed on the second mating section 2202 where the piston sleeve 22 and the inner tube 11 slide together, and is connected to the venting passage 102 and the gas passage 103 respectively. This ensures that the sliding fit between the piston sleeve 22, the piston rod 12, and the inner tube 11 does not affect the normal intake of the inflation passage 101 or the normal exhaust of the venting passage 102. It should be noted that the gas passage 103 is specifically formed by the combination of the first gas flow channel 221 of the piston sleeve 22 and the cavity formed by the piston rod 12 simultaneously enclosing the piston sleeve 22 and the inner tube 11.

[0067] Here, the number of first gas flow channels 221 and second gas flow channels 222 are both set to multiple, and the multiple first gas flow channels 221 and multiple second gas flow channels 222 are each distributed at intervals along the circumferential direction of the piston sleeve 22. In this way, the smooth airflow of the charging channel 101 during the intake phase and the exhaust channel 102 during the exhaust phase can be ensured.

[0068] Please see Figure 2 , Figure 4In one embodiment, the inner pipe 11 includes a connector 112, which is disposed at one end of the outer pipe 21 along the first direction Z; and the venting assembly 20 also includes a filter ring 25, which is disposed in the venting channel 102 and is pressed and limited by the outer pipe 21 at the connector 112 to facilitate the assembly of the filter ring 25. When the venting channel 102 discharges gas, the filter ring 25 can reduce the noise of the gas discharged from the venting channel 102 by utilizing its own structural characteristics, thereby reducing the airflow noise generated when the mechanical valve 100 discharges gas; on the other hand, it can prevent external dust and other impurities from entering the interior of the venting channel 102, thereby improving the working stability and reliability of the mechanical valve 100 during long-term use. It should be noted that the outer pipe 21 of this embodiment is provided with multiple exhaust ports 212. The multiple exhaust ports 212 are connected to the venting channel 102 through the filter ring 25, so that the gas in the venting channel 102 is discharged to the outside through the multiple exhaust ports 212 after flowing through the filter ring 25.

[0069] Here, the filter ring 25 is made of sintered copper particles. Of course, it is not limited to this; those skilled in the art can also make the filter ring 25 from ceramic particles, which will not be elaborated here.

[0070] Please see Figure 2 , Figure 3 In one embodiment, the mechanical valve 100 further includes a housing 30, which is sleeved on the piston sleeve 22 and slides in cooperation with the piston sleeve 22. The housing 30 can abut against and limit the piston sleeve 22 in the opposite direction of the first direction Z. Furthermore, the housing 30 is sleeved on the outer tube 21 and threaded in cooperation with the outer tube 21, thereby realizing the assembly and fixation between the outer tube 21 and the housing 30. This allows the mechanical valve 100 to be assembled into the air spring 1000 with the housing 30 as the mounting base, which helps to improve the convenience and integration of the mechanical valve 100 in the air spring 1000.

[0071] Please see Figure 3 In this embodiment, the outer shell 30, the outer tube 21, and the piston sleeve 22 together form a cavity 104. The mechanical valve 100 also includes a first sealing element 40, which is housed in the cavity 104 and abuts against the outer tube 21 and the piston sleeve 22 respectively to seal. Specifically, this can be achieved by screwing the outer shell 30 onto the outer tube 21 to compress the first sealing element 40, so that the first sealing element 40 can effectively seal the venting channel 102, preventing gas from leaking from the external gap of the outer tube 21 when the venting channel 102 is venting, thereby ensuring the airtightness and reliable sealing of the venting channel 102.

[0072] Please see Figure 3In one embodiment, the outer shell 30 abuts against the piston sleeve 22 along the first direction Z to limit the stroke of the outer shell 30 when it is screwed to the outer tube 21; and the outer shell 30 is provided with a second sealing member 50, so that when the mechanical valve 100 is assembled to the air spring 1000 through the outer shell 30, the assembly sealing of the mechanical valve 100 can be achieved by the pressure deformation of the second sealing member 50.

[0073] Please see Figure 8 This application also provides an air spring 1000, which includes an air bladder 200 and the aforementioned mechanical valve 100; the air bladder 200 encloses an air chamber 201, and the inflation channel 101 and the deflation channel 102 are respectively connected to the air chamber 201 through a gas channel 103.

[0074] Please see Figure 8 In one embodiment, the mechanical valve 100 is inserted into the fixed seat 300 of the air spring 1000. Specifically, the outer shell 30 of the mechanical valve 100 abuts and limits the fixed seat 300 in the first direction Z; the portion of the outer tube 21 of the mechanical valve 100 extending out of the fixed seat 300 abuts and limits the fixed seat 300 via a snap ring (not shown). Furthermore, one end of the airbag 200 is sleeved on the fixed seat 300 and is fitted and limited on the fixed seat 300 by a retaining ring (not shown). In this state, the gas passage 103 of the mechanical valve 100 is housed within and communicates with the air chamber 201 of the airbag 200, while the air inlet connector 15 and filter ring 25 of the mechanical valve 100 are both located on the outside of the airbag 200. It should be noted that the other structural components and working principle of the air spring 1000 can adopt conventional methods of the prior art, and will not be described in detail here.

[0075] Please see Figure 8The piston rod 12 of the mechanical valve 100 passes through the first baffle 410 of the air spring 1000 and abuts against the second baffle 420. When the second baffle 420 pushes the piston rod 12 in the first direction Z, it can drive the piston rod 12 to compress the first elastic element 13, thereby opening the inflation channel 101. The piston sleeve 22 is fitted with a piston top plate 26 by a threaded engagement. The piston top plate 26 abuts against the first baffle 410, so that the first baffle 410 can push the piston sleeve 22 in the first direction Z through the piston top plate 26, which can drive the piston sleeve 22 to compress the second elastic element 23, so that the piston sleeve 22 abuts against the vent plug 24 on the inner tube 11 to seal, thereby blocking the vent channel 102. It should be noted that the mechanical valve 100 is installed in the air spring 1000 and can simultaneously block the inflation channel 101 and the deflation channel 102 according to the working requirements of the air spring 1000. In this case, the mechanical valve 100 neither inflates nor deflates. The mechanical valve 100 can also open the inflation channel 101 alone, so that the mechanical valve 100 can inflate the air chamber 201 of the airbag 200 through the inflation channel 101. Alternatively, the mechanical valve 100 can open the deflation channel 102 alone, so that the mechanical valve 100 can deflate the air chamber 201 of the airbag 200 through the deflation channel 102.

[0076] This application also provides a vehicle suspension system, including the mechanical valve 100 described above; or, including the air spring 1000 described above. It should be noted that the above-described vehicle suspension system can be applied to automobiles or motorcycles according to usage requirements.

[0077] The technical features of the above embodiments can be combined in any way. For the sake of brevity, not all possible combinations of the technical features in the above embodiments are described. However, as long as there is no contradiction in the combination of these technical features, they should be considered to be within the scope of this specification.

[0078] The embodiments described above are merely illustrative of several implementation methods of this application, and while the descriptions are relatively specific and detailed, they should not be construed as limiting the scope of the patent application. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make various modifications and improvements without departing from the concept of this application, and these all fall within the scope of protection of this application. Therefore, the patent protection scope of this application should be determined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A mechanical valve, used in an air spring (1000) of a vehicle suspension system, characterized in that, The mechanical valve (100) includes: An inflation assembly (10) includes an inner tube (11), a piston rod (12), and a first elastic member (13). The piston rod (12) passes through the interior of the inner tube (11) in a first direction and abuts against the first elastic member (13) to control the opening and closing of the inflation channel (101) inside the inner tube (11). The venting assembly (20) includes an outer tube (21), a piston sleeve (22), and a second elastic member (23). The outer tube (21) is sleeved on the outside of the inner tube (11), and the outer tube (21) and the inner tube (11) enclose each other to form a venting channel (102). The piston sleeve (22) is inserted into the venting channel (102) along the first direction and abuts against the second elastic member (23) to control the opening and closing of the venting channel (102). The piston rod (12) extends out of the piston sleeve (22) in the opposite direction to the first direction, and a gas channel (103) is formed between the piston sleeve (22) and the piston rod (12). The gas channel (103) is connected to the inflation channel (101) and the deflation channel (102) respectively.

2. The mechanical valve according to claim 1, characterized in that, The inflation assembly (10) also includes an air inlet plug (14), which is mounted on the piston rod (12) and housed in the inflation channel (101). The air inlet plug (14) can press against the inner tube (11) under the action of the piston rod (12) to block the inflation channel (101). And / or, the venting assembly (20) further includes a vent plug (24) which is mounted on the inner tube (11) and housed inside the piston sleeve (22), and the piston sleeve (22) is capable of pressing against the vent plug (24) to block the venting passage (102).

3. The mechanical valve according to claim 1, characterized in that, The piston sleeve (22) is in sliding engagement with the piston rod (12) and the inner tube (11) respectively; The piston sleeve (22) is provided with a first gas flow channel (221) and a second gas flow channel (222) extending along the first direction. The first gas flow channel (221) is formed on the first mating section (2201) where the piston sleeve (22) and the piston rod (12) slide together, and the first gas flow channel (221) is disposed on the gas passage (103). The second gas flow channel (222) is formed on the second mating section (2202) where the piston sleeve (22) and the inner tube (11) slide together, and the second gas flow channel (222) is connected to the venting passage (102) and the gas passage (103) respectively.

4. The mechanical valve according to claim 1, characterized in that, The inner fitting (11) includes a connector (112), which is disposed on one end of the outer fitting (21) along the first direction; The venting assembly (20) further includes a filter ring (25), which is disposed in the venting channel (102) and is pressed and limited on the connector (112) by the outer pipe fitting (21).

5. The mechanical valve according to claim 1, characterized in that, The outer tube (21) has a boss (211) inside. The boss (211) is screwed onto the inner tube (11) and abuts against the second elastic member (23) so that the outer tube (21) is limited and fixed on the inner tube (11) along the first direction. The boss (211) has a third gas flow channel (2111) extending along the first direction, and the third gas flow channel (2111) is connected to the venting channel (102).

6. The mechanical valve according to claim 1, characterized in that, The mechanical valve (100) further includes a housing (30), which is sleeved on the piston sleeve (22) and slides in cooperation with the piston sleeve (22), and the housing (30) can abut against and limit the piston sleeve (22) in the opposite direction of the first direction; The outer shell (30) is fitted onto the outer tube (21) and threadedly engaged with the outer tube (21).

7. The mechanical valve according to claim 6, characterized in that, The outer shell (30), the outer tube (21) and the piston sleeve (22) together form a cavity (104). The mechanical valve (100) further includes a first sealing element (40), which is housed in the cavity (104) and abuts and seals against the outer tube (21) and the piston sleeve (22) respectively.

8. The mechanical valve according to claim 1, characterized in that, The inflation assembly (10) also includes an air inlet connector (15), which is at least partially inserted into the interior of the inner tube (11) and fixedly connected to the inner tube (11); The air inlet connector (15) is connected to the air inlet channel (101), and the air inlet connector (15) abuts against the end of the first elastic member (13) away from the piston rod (12).

9. An air spring, characterized in that, The air spring (1000) includes an air bag (200) and a mechanical valve (100) as described in any one of claims 1 to 8. The airbag (200) encloses an air cavity (201), and the inflation channel (101) and the deflation channel (102) are respectively connected to the air cavity (201) through the gas channel (103).

10. A vehicle suspension system, characterized in that, The mechanical valve (100) includes any one of claims 1 to 8; Alternatively, it may include the air spring (1000) as described in claim 9.

Images