Air spring, air suspension assembly and vehicle

Abstract

The utility model discloses an air spring, an air suspension assembly and a vehicle, the air spring comprises: a main cavity assembly comprising a buckling member and an air bag, the air bag comprises a first chamber and bag skin openings located at two ends along the compression direction of the air bag, and the buckling member is buckled to the bag skin openings; the auxiliary cavity assembly comprises an auxiliary cavity, the auxiliary cavity is detachably connected with the buckling and pressing piece so as to facilitate replacement, the auxiliary cavity comprises a wall part, a second cavity defined by the wall part and a switch piece, and the switch piece is arranged on the wall part and controls the second cavity and the first cavity to be connected and disconnected. According to the air spring, the air suspension assembly and the vehicle provided by the embodiment of the invention, the air spring can be provided with the auxiliary cavity which can be detachably connected with the buckling and pressing piece of the main cavity assembly, so that the second cavity can be quickly disassembled and assembled, maintenance can be facilitated, the maintenance cost is reduced, and the service life of the air spring is prolonged. And for air springs with different rigidity characteristics, only the auxiliary cavity needs to be redeveloped, so that the development cost is reduced.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of air suspension components technology, specifically to an air spring, an air suspension assembly, and a vehicle. Background Technology

[0002] In the existing technology, dual-chamber air springs have more advantages than single-chamber air springs. Dual-chamber air springs can select different driving modes by coordinating the opening and closing of the main chamber and the auxiliary chamber, resulting in a better user experience.

[0003] However, the main chamber and auxiliary chamber of the existing dual-chamber air spring are structurally linked to the air spring body. Once the air spring structure design is determined, the chamber volume parameters of the dual-chamber air spring are locked, and the stiffness characteristics of the air suspension cannot be changed. When air suspensions with other stiffness characteristics are required, the air spring structure needs to be redesigned. Furthermore, if the auxiliary chamber fails, the entire air spring structure needs to be replaced, resulting in high development and maintenance costs for air springs. Summary of the Invention

[0004] This application provides an air spring, an air suspension assembly, and a vehicle that enables quick assembly and disassembly of the sub-chamber, reducing the development and maintenance costs of the air spring.

[0005] In a first aspect, an air spring is provided according to an embodiment of this application, comprising: a main cavity assembly, including a clamping member and an air bladder, the air bladder including a first chamber and bladder skin openings located at both ends along its own compression direction, the clamping member being fastened to the bladder skin openings; and a secondary cavity assembly, including a secondary cavity, the secondary cavity being detachably connected to the clamping member for easy replacement, the secondary cavity including a wall portion, a second chamber formed by the wall portion, and a switching member, the switching member being opened in the wall portion and controlling the second chamber to be closed to the first chamber.

[0006] According to one aspect of the embodiments of this application, the wall includes a connecting plate and a secondary cavity, the secondary cavity forming a second chamber, the connecting plate partially overlapping the fastening member, and being detachably connected through the overlapping portion.

[0007] According to one aspect of the embodiments of this application, the connecting plate includes a central region and a peripheral region distributed around the central region. The connecting plate abuts against the surface of the clamping member facing away from the first chamber through the peripheral region and is connected to the clamping member through a detachable connector. The secondary cavity is correspondingly disposed in the central region.

[0008] According to one aspect of the embodiments of this application, the secondary cavity extends from one side of the connecting plate along the compression direction into the interior of the first cavity, and the switching element is disposed at one end of the secondary cavity facing away from the central region.

[0009] According to one aspect of the embodiments of this application, the switching element includes a connecting hole and a connecting valve at one end of the secondary cavity cylinder facing away from the central region. The connecting valve controls the opening and closing of the connecting hole to control the opening and closing of the first chamber and the second chamber.

[0010] According to one aspect of the present application, the connecting valve is arranged along the compression direction, and the wall also includes a limiting cylinder. The limiting cylinder extends from the connecting plate into the second chamber, and the connecting valve is embedded in the limiting cylinder and fixedly connected to the central region of the connecting plate.

[0011] According to one aspect of the embodiments of this application, the secondary cavity further includes a bushing and a spring retaining ring, the spring retaining ring and the bushing being sequentially embedded in the limiting cylinder, and the connecting valve abutting against the bushing to be fixedly connected to the central region.

[0012] According to one aspect of the embodiments of this application, the secondary cavity assembly includes two or more secondary cavities with different volumetric dimensions that can be used interchangeably to accommodate air springs of different specifications.

[0013] Secondly, an air suspension assembly is provided according to embodiments of this application, including the air spring provided in any of the first aspects of this application.

[0014] Thirdly, according to embodiments of this application, a vehicle is provided, including the air suspension assembly provided in any second aspect embodiment of this application.

[0015] The air spring, air suspension assembly, and vehicle provided in this application embodiment, by setting a secondary cavity that can be detachably connected to the clamping part of the main cavity assembly, can realize the quick assembly and disassembly of the second cavity, which can facilitate maintenance and reduce maintenance costs. At the same time, for air springs with different stiffness characteristics, only the secondary cavity needs to be redeveloped, reducing development costs. Attached Figure Description

[0016] The features, advantages, and technical effects of exemplary embodiments of this application will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0017] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the air spring structure provided in the first aspect embodiment of this application;

[0018] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 Cross-sectional view along the AA direction;

[0019] Figure 3 yes Figure 1 Exploded structure diagram;

[0020] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of another air spring structure provided in the first aspect embodiment of this application;

[0021] Figure 5This is a schematic diagram of another air spring structure provided in the first aspect of this application.

[0022] in:

[0023] 100-Air spring;

[0024] 10-Main cavity assembly; 11-Airbag; 111-Airbag skin opening; 12-Snapping piece; C1-First chamber;

[0025] 2-Secondary cavity assembly; 20-Secondary cavity; 21-Wall; 211-Connecting plate; 211a-Central area; 211b-Peripheral area; 212-Secondary cavity cylinder; 22-Switch element; 221-Connecting hole; 222-Connecting valve; 213-Limiting cylinder; 23-Shaft sleeve; 24-Spring retaining ring; C2-Secondary chamber;

[0026] 1000 - Air suspension assembly;

[0027] 2000 - Vehicles;

[0028] X - Compression direction.

[0029] In the accompanying drawings, the same parts use the same reference numerals. The drawings are not drawn to scale. Detailed Implementation

[0030] The features and exemplary embodiments of various aspects of this application will now be described in detail. Numerous specific details are set forth in the following detailed description to provide a comprehensive understanding of this application. However, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that this application can be implemented without requiring some of these specific details. The following description of embodiments is merely intended to provide a better understanding of this application by illustrating examples. In the accompanying drawings and the following description, at least some well-known structures and techniques are not shown to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the application; and, for clarity, the dimensions of some structures may be exaggerated. Furthermore, the features, structures, or characteristics described below can be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments.

[0031] The directional terms used in the following description refer to the directions shown in the figures and are not intended to limit the specific structure of the air springs, air suspension assemblies, and vehicles described in this application. It should also be noted in the description of this application that, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation" and "connection" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this application based on the specific circumstances.

[0032] Figure 1The structure of the air spring 100 provided in the first aspect embodiment of this application is shown. Figure 2 It shows Figure 1 Cross-sectional structure along the AA direction.

[0033] Please see Figure 1 and Figure 2 In one aspect, embodiments of this application provide an air spring 100, including a main cavity assembly 10 and a secondary cavity assembly 2.

[0034] The main cavity assembly 10 includes a clamping member 12 and an airbag 11. The airbag 11 includes a first chamber C1 and a skin opening 111 located at both ends along its own compression direction X. The clamping member 12 is fastened to the skin opening 111.

[0035] The secondary cavity assembly 2 includes a secondary cavity 20, which is detachably connected to the clamping member 12 for easy replacement. The secondary cavity 20 includes a wall portion 21, a second chamber C2 formed by the wall portion 21, and a switch member 22. The switch member 22 is opened in the wall portion 21 and controls the second chamber C2 to be closed to the first chamber C1.

[0036] In the first aspect, the air spring 100 provided in this application embodiment has a secondary cavity 20 that can be detachably connected to the clamping member 12 of the main cavity assembly 10, so as to realize the quick assembly and disassembly of the second cavity C2, which can facilitate maintenance and reduce maintenance costs. At the same time, for air springs 100 with different stiffness characteristics, only the secondary cavity 20 needs to be redeveloped, thus reducing development costs.

[0037] The air spring 100 can be used in the suspension structure of the vehicle 2000. In the suspension structure of the vehicle 2000, the air spring 100 is used to connect the control arm and the frame of the vehicle 2000. Compressed air can be filled into the first chamber C1 of the main cavity assembly 10 and the second chamber C2 of the auxiliary chamber 20 through the air pump connector. Utilizing the compressibility of air, the airbag 11 expands or contracts in the compression direction X, so that the control arm and the subframe are elastically connected through the air spring 100. The air spring 100 can withstand and transmit vertical loads and mitigate and suppress the impact caused by uneven road surfaces.

[0038] The second chamber C2 and the first chamber C1 can be selectively switched on and off by the switch 22. It can be understood that the effective working volume of the chambers in the air spring 100 can switch between the volume of the first chamber C1 and the sum of the volumes of the first chamber C1 and the second chamber C2. At the same time, the effective working volume of the air spring 100 is negatively correlated with the stiffness of the air spring 100. Therefore, the stiffness of the air spring 100 can be adjusted by adjusting the switching between the first chamber C1 and the second chamber C2.

[0039] When the second chamber C2 and the first chamber C1 are not connected, the volume of the first chamber C1 is the effective working volume of the air spring 100. At this time, the effective working volume of the air spring 100 is the smallest, and the stiffness of the air spring 100 is the largest. When the second chamber C2 and the first chamber C1 are connected, the sum of the volumes of the first chamber C1 and the second chamber C2 is the effective working volume of the air spring 100. At this time, the effective working volume of the air spring 100 is the largest, and the stiffness is the smallest.

[0040] The air spring 100 has adjustable stiffness, which can meet the driving and handling needs under different working conditions. This allows the air spring 100 to balance the handling and comfort of the vehicle 2000. In terms of overall vehicle performance tuning, it can enable the same vehicle to have multiple performance styles, increasing product competitiveness.

[0041] The clamping member 12 includes a clamping ring and a support end cap. The opening 111 of the airbag 11 passes through the clamping ring and causes the airbag 11 to fold outward of the clamping ring. At the same time, the support end cap is fastened to the clamping ring, so that the airbag 11 can be tightly pressed between the support end cap and the clamping ring, thereby achieving the sealing and support functions for the airbag 11.

[0042] The secondary chamber 20 of the second chamber C2 is detachably connected to the clamping member 12 in the main chamber assembly 10. Therefore, while keeping the first chamber C1 in the main chamber assembly 10 unchanged, the secondary chamber C2 of different sizes can be replaced by replacing the secondary chamber 20 in the secondary chamber assembly 2, so as to realize the design, development and application of air springs 100 with different rigidity characteristics, thereby reducing development costs.

[0043] The switch 22, which simultaneously closes the first chamber C1 and the second chamber C2, is a component in the dual-chamber air spring 100 that is prone to failure. Failure of the switch 22 also causes the switching between the open and closed states of the second chamber C2 to fail. The detachable design of the secondary chamber 20 means that if a failure occurs, the operator can simply replace the second chamber C2 and the switch 22 without having to repair or replace the entire air spring 100, thus reducing maintenance costs.

[0044] Optionally, a ring for support is provided between the clamping members 12 of the skin openings 111 at both ends of the airbag 11 to fix and support the shape of the airbag 11 and prevent the airbag 11 from undergoing excessive abnormal deformation.

[0045] Please continue reading. Figure 1 and Figure 2In some embodiments of the air spring 100 provided in the first aspect of this application, the wall portion 21 includes a connecting plate 211 and a secondary cavity 212, the secondary cavity 212 enclosing to form a second chamber C2, the connecting plate 211 partially overlapping with the fastening member 12, and being detachably connected through the overlapping portion.

[0046] In these embodiments, the air spring 100 provided in the first aspect of this application has a secondary cavity 212 that is detachably connected to the overlapping portion of the fastening member 12 at the connecting plate 211, making disassembly convenient.

[0047] Figure 3 It shows Figure 1 The explosive structure, Figure 4 Another air spring 100 structure provided in the first aspect embodiment of this application is shown.

[0048] Please see Figures 1 to 4 In some embodiments of the air spring 100 provided in the first aspect of this application, the connecting plate 211 includes a central region 211a and a peripheral region 211b distributed around the central region 211a. The connecting plate 211 abuts against the surface of the clamping member 12 facing away from the first chamber C1 through the peripheral region 211b and is connected to the clamping member 12 through a detachable connector. The secondary cavity cylinder 212 is correspondingly disposed in the central region 211a.

[0049] In these embodiments, the air spring 100 provided in the first aspect of this application has a secondary cavity 212 disposed in the central region 211a, while the connecting plate 211 and the fastening member 12 are detachably connected in the peripheral region 211b, so that the force is evenly distributed and easy to disassemble and replace.

[0050] Optionally, the connecting plate 211 and the clamping member 12 are connected by threads. The edge area of ​​the connecting plate 211 and the clamping member 12 are provided with corresponding threaded holes, and the number of threaded holes is 4. Bolts are screwed in and out on the side of the connecting plate 211 away from the clamping member 12 to achieve a detachable connection.

[0051] Optionally, please refer to Figure 4 The connecting plate 211 and the clamping member 12 are connected by bolts and nuts. Only four through holes need to be made in the edge area of ​​the connecting plate 211 and the clamping member 12. Nuts and bolts are then installed on both sides of the connecting plate 211 and the clamping member 12 to achieve a detachable connection.

[0052] Please continue reading. Figure 1 and Figure 2In some embodiments of the air spring 100 provided in the first aspect of this application, the secondary cavity cylinder 212 extends from one side of the connecting plate 211 along the compression direction X into the interior of the first chamber C1, and the switch element 22 is disposed at one end of the secondary cavity cylinder 212 away from the central region 211a.

[0053] In these embodiments, the air spring 100 provided in the first aspect of this application has a secondary cavity 212 that can extend into the interior of the first chamber C1, further reducing the volume of the air spring 100. At the same time, the switch 22 for controlling the on / off state and the connecting plate 211 are disposed on opposite sides of the secondary cavity 212 to separate the control on / off function and the installation sealing function of the secondary cavity 20, so as to prevent the control on / off function and the installation sealing function from interfering with each other and affecting the realization of the corresponding functions.

[0054] Optionally, the buckling member 12 corresponding to the opening 111 of the airbag skin on at least one side of the airbag 11 is also provided with a through groove in the central region 211a, and a sealing ring is also provided between the connecting plate 211 and the buckling member 12 to achieve complete sealing of the first chamber C1.

[0055] Please continue reading. Figure 1 and Figure 2 In some embodiments of the air spring 100 provided in the first aspect of this application, the switching element 22 includes a connecting hole 221 and a connecting valve 222 opened at one end of the secondary cavity 212 away from the central region 211a. The connecting valve 222 controls the opening and closing of the connecting hole 221 to control the opening and closing of the first chamber C1 and the second chamber C2.

[0056] In these embodiments, the air spring 100 provided in the first aspect of this application has a connecting hole 221 opened at one end of the secondary cavity 212 away from the central region 211a, and the connecting valve 222 can control the opening and closing of the connecting hole 221 to realize the closing of the first chamber C1 and the second chamber C2.

[0057] Optionally, the connecting valve 222 is a solenoid valve, which further enables precise control over the opening between the first chamber C1 and the second chamber C2.

[0058] Please continue reading. Figure 1 and Figure 2 In some embodiments of the air spring 100 provided in the first aspect of this application, the connecting valve 222 is arranged along the compression direction X, and the wall portion 21 also includes a limiting cylinder 213. The limiting cylinder 213 extends from the connecting plate 211 into the second chamber C2, and the connecting valve 222 is embedded in the limiting cylinder 213 and fixedly connected to the central region 211a of the connecting plate 211.

[0059] In these embodiments, the air spring 100 provided in the first aspect of this application also has the connecting valve 222 arranged along the compression direction X. In order to avoid interfering with the expansion and contraction of the airbag 11, the wall portion 21 is also provided with a limiting cylinder 213 in the second chamber C2 restricted by the auxiliary cavity cylinder 212, so that the connecting valve 222 is fixedly connected to the central region 211a of the connecting plate 211.

[0060] The setting of the limiting cylinder 213 can compensate for the size difference between the connecting valve 222 and the secondary cavity cylinder 212, so that the connecting valve 222 can control the opening and closing of the connecting hole 221 at the end of the secondary cavity cylinder 212 away from the central area 211a, and can also be fixedly connected to the connecting plate 211. Similarly, it can separate the control and sealing functions of the secondary cavity 20 to prevent the control and sealing functions from interfering with each other and affecting the realization of the corresponding functions.

[0061] Please continue reading. Figure 1 and Figure 2 In some embodiments of the air spring 100 provided in the first aspect of this application, the secondary cavity 20 further includes a bushing 23 and a spring retainer 24. The spring retainer 24 and the bushing 23 are sequentially embedded in the limiting cylinder 213, and the connecting valve 222 abuts against the bushing 23 to be fixedly connected to the central region 211a.

[0062] In these embodiments, the air spring 100 and bushing 23 provided in the first aspect of this application can further compensate for the size difference between the connecting valve 222 and the connecting plate 211 inside the limiting cylinder 213, while the spring retaining ring 24 can help position the connecting valve 222 inside the limiting cylinder 213, lock the connecting valve 222 and ensure that the connecting valve 222 and the limiting cylinder 213 are always coaxially arranged, so as to avoid the connection between the connecting valve 222 and the limiting cylinder 213 becoming loose due to the surging movement of the connecting valve 222 during operation.

[0063] Figure 5 Another air spring 100 structure provided in the first aspect embodiment of this application is shown.

[0064] Please see Figure 5 In some embodiments of the air spring 100 provided in the first aspect of this application, the secondary cavity assembly 2 includes two or more secondary cavities 20 that are interchangeable and have different volumetric dimensions to accommodate air springs 100 of different specifications.

[0065] In these embodiments, the air spring 100 provided in the first aspect of this application can realize the detachable and replaceable secondary cavity 20 of the second chamber C2 with different volumes, realize the rapid development of air springs 100 of different specifications, and further reduce development costs.

[0066] Secondly, embodiments of this application provide an air suspension assembly 1000, including the air spring 100 provided in any of the first aspects of this application.

[0067] Secondly, the air suspension assembly 1000 provided in the embodiments of this application includes the air spring 100 provided in any of the first aspects of the embodiments of this application, and therefore has the beneficial effects of the air spring 100 provided in any of the first aspects of the embodiments of this application, which will not be repeated here.

[0068] Thirdly, embodiments of this application provide a vehicle 2000, including the air suspension assembly 1000 provided in any second aspect embodiment of this application.

[0069] Thirdly, the vehicle 2000 provided in the embodiments of this application includes the air suspension assembly 1000 provided in any second aspect of the embodiments of this application, and therefore has the beneficial effects of the air suspension assembly 1000 provided in any second aspect of the embodiments of this application, which will not be repeated here.

[0070] The vehicle 2000 provided in this application embodiment can be a logistics vehicle, an automated guided vehicle (AGV) trolley, a car, or other transportation device with transportation capabilities.

[0071] The frame structure is the main structure of the vehicle 2000, and it can have various shapes, such as plate structure, box structure or frame structure. In this application, the vehicle 2000 is not limited to the outline shape of the car, but can be set into various shapes according to different usage requirements.

[0072] The vehicle 2000 provided in this application embodiment may also include other functional components, such as a control system, a power system, etc., and may also include a driving system, which may include wheels or tracks, etc.

[0073] Although this application has been described with reference to preferred embodiments, various modifications can be made thereto and components can be replaced with equivalents without departing from the scope of this application. In particular, the technical features mentioned in the various embodiments can be combined in any manner, provided there is no structural conflict. This application is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed herein, but includes all technical solutions falling within the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. An air spring, characterized in that, include: The main cavity assembly includes a clamping member and an airbag, the airbag including a first chamber and airbag skin openings located at both ends along its own compression direction, the clamping member being fastened to the airbag skin openings; A secondary cavity assembly includes a secondary cavity, which is detachably connected to the clamping member for easy replacement. The secondary cavity includes a wall portion, a second chamber formed by the wall portion, and a switching member. The switching member is located in the wall portion and controls the second chamber to be closed to the first chamber.

2. The air spring according to claim 1, characterized in that, The wall portion includes a connecting plate and a secondary cavity, the secondary cavity forming the second chamber, the connecting plate partially overlapping the fastening member and being detachably connected through the overlapping portion.

3. The air spring according to claim 2, characterized in that, The connecting plate includes a central region and a peripheral region distributed around the central region. The connecting plate abuts against the surface of the fastening member facing away from the first chamber through the peripheral region and is connected to the fastening member through a detachable connector. The secondary cavity is correspondingly disposed in the central region.

4. The air spring according to claim 3, characterized in that, The secondary cavity extends from one side of the connecting plate along the compression direction into the interior of the first cavity, and the switch is located at the end of the secondary cavity facing away from the central region.

5. The air spring according to claim 4, characterized in that, The switching device includes a connecting hole and a connecting valve at one end of the secondary cavity facing away from the central region. The connecting valve controls the opening and closing of the connecting hole to control the opening and closing of the first chamber and the second chamber.

6. The air spring according to claim 5, characterized in that, The connecting valve is arranged along the compression direction, and the wall portion further includes a limiting cylinder. The limiting cylinder extends from the connecting plate into the second chamber, and the connecting valve is embedded in the limiting cylinder and fixedly connected to the central region of the connecting plate.

7. The air spring according to claim 6, characterized in that, The secondary cavity also includes a bushing and a spring retaining ring, which are sequentially embedded in the limiting cylinder. The connecting valve abuts against the bushing to be fixedly connected to the central region.

8. The air spring according to claim 1, characterized in that, The secondary chamber assembly includes two or more secondary chambers with different volumetric dimensions that can be used interchangeably to accommodate air springs of different specifications.

9. An air suspension assembly, characterized in that, Includes the air spring as described in any one of claims 1 to 8.

10. A vehicle, characterized in that, Includes the air suspension assembly as described in claim 9.

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