Three-cavity air spring structure

Abstract

The utility model relates to the technical field of air springs, in particular to a three-cavity air spring structure. Opening and closing of a gas channel of an inner cavity of the air spring are controlled through the two electromagnetic valves so as to change the working volume, and different rigidities of the air spring are achieved. The three air chambers of the air spring are connected in a welded mode and matched with a sealing ring to form a sealing cavity, other technological structures are not needed, and the air spring can be adjusted at different angles in the early stage in cooperation with a two-half wedge-shaped block clamped to a piston, disassembly and assembly are convenient and fast, and the trial-manufacturing time and cost of the air spring are saved; the abnormal sound risk of the electromagnetic valve is reduced.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The utility model relates to air spring technical field especially relates to a three cavity air spring structure. BACKGROUND

[0002] Under the restriction of whole vehicle space layout requirement, the vehicle front air spring (air spring) often adopts the structure of the support post integration. The three cavity air spring realizes the multistage stiffness adjustment through the unique internal structure, effectively gives consideration to the vehicle control while improving the ride comfort, and exhibits the obvious advantage.

[0003] But the current air spring manufacturing process has obvious short board, generally adopts the structure of plastic part and metal piece welding, and the process is complex, needs the accurate control welding parameter. This not only leads to the huge equipment investment, occupies the large site space, but also the welding mould is various, and the cost is high. A large number of welding points also increase the air leakage hidden danger, threaten the air spring performance and driving safety. In addition, the electromagnetic valve switch of vertical arrangement has serious abnormal sound when working, destroys the quiet environment in the car, and interferes with the judgment of the driver to the vehicle fault.

[0004] It should be noted that the information disclosed in the above background section is only used to strengthen the understanding of the background of the utility model, and does not constitute any limitation on the utility model. UTILITY MODEL CONTENT

[0005] In view of the above-mentioned defects of the prior art, the utility model provides a three cavity air spring structure, which forms a sealed chamber by welding connection and cooperation with a sealing ring, cooperates with the two half type wedge blocks clamped on the piston to provide different angles for the early adjustment of the air spring, and adopts a flat placement mode for the electromagnetic valve close to the vehicle body to solve the problem of serious abnormal sound of the electromagnetic valve switch when working in the air spring.

[0006] The utility model provides a three cavity air spring structure, which comprises a first air chamber, a second air chamber and a third air chamber arranged in sequence from the upper part to the lower part of the air spring, and a corresponding first chamber, a second chamber and a third chamber are formed in the first air chamber, the second air chamber and the third air chamber, respectively, a first electromagnetic valve and a second electromagnetic valve are arranged in the first air chamber and the third air chamber, respectively, and the working volume of the first chamber and the third chamber is adjusted by the opening and closing of the first electromagnetic valve and the second electromagnetic valve.

[0007] In an embodiment of the utility model, the first air chamber comprises an upper shell and a lower shell sealedly connected to the upper part of the air spring.

[0008] In an embodiment of the utility model, the second air chamber comprises a piston, a bladder and a sealing ring sealedly connected to the middle part of the air spring.

[0009] In an embodiment of the utility model, the third air chamber comprises an upper housing and a lower housing of an additional air chamber connected to the lower part of the air spring.

[0010] In an embodiment of the utility model, the first air chamber and the second air chamber are connected through the air hole.

[0011] In an embodiment of the utility model, the third air chamber and the second air chamber are connected through the gas passage.

[0012] In an embodiment of the utility model, the air inlet passage of the air spring is arranged on the first air chamber, the one-way valve nozzle in the air inlet passage is connected to the first air chamber, and the first air chamber and the second air chamber are connected through the air hole.

[0013] In an embodiment of the utility model, the first electromagnetic valve is arranged in the horizontal direction, and the second electromagnetic valve is arranged in the vertical direction.

[0014] In an embodiment of the utility model, the wedge-shaped block is further arranged on the piston of the air spring, and the wedge-shaped block adopts a two-piece structure and is clamped and arranged on the piston.

[0015] In an embodiment of the utility model, the first electromagnetic valve and the second electromagnetic valve are independently switched, so that the first chamber and the third chamber exist or do not exist.

[0016] The utility model discloses the beneficial effects: through two electromagnetic valves control air spring inner chamber's gas passage opening and closing to change its working volume, realizes the different rigidity of air spring. The three air chambers of air spring are connected through welding and cooperate sealing ring to form sealed chamber, do not need other process structure, cooperate the two-piece wedge-shaped block of clamping on the piston, can provide different angles for the early adjustment of air spring, convenient to disassemble and assemble, save air spring trial time and cost, cooperate with the electromagnetic valve close to the vehicle body and adopt the horizontal arrangement, reduce the risk of electromagnetic valve's abnormal sound.

[0017] It should be understood that the above general description and the following detailed description are only exemplary and explanatory, and cannot limit the utility model. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0018] The drawings incorporated into the specification and forming part of the specification, show the embodiments consistent with the utility model, and together with the specification, are used to explain the principle of the utility model. Obviously, the drawings in the following description are only some embodiments of the utility model, and those skilled in the art can obtain other drawings according to these drawings without creative labor. In the drawings:

[0019] Figure 1This is a cross-sectional view of the three-chamber air spring structure of this utility model;

[0020] Figure 2 This is a cross-sectional view of the first air chamber in the three-chamber air spring structure of this utility model;

[0021] Figure 3 This is a cross-sectional view of the third air chamber in the three-chamber air spring structure of this utility model.

[0022] In the diagram: 1. First air chamber; 10. First cavity; 101. Upper shell; 102. Lower shell; 11. First solenoid valve; 2. Second air chamber; 20. Second cavity; 3. Third air chamber; 30. Third cavity; 301. Upper shell; 302. Lower shell; 31. Second solenoid valve; 4. Piston; 5. Bladder skin; 6. Air hole; 7. Inlet passage; 8. Wedge block; 9. Gas passage. Detailed Implementation

[0023] The following specific examples illustrate the implementation of this utility model. Those skilled in the art can easily understand other advantages and effects of this utility model from the content disclosed in this specification. This utility model can also be implemented or applied through other different specific embodiments, and various details in this specification can also be modified or changed based on different viewpoints and applications without departing from the spirit of this utility model. It should be noted that, in the absence of conflict, the following embodiments and features in the embodiments can be combined with each other. It should also be understood that the terminology used in the embodiments of this utility model is for describing specific implementation schemes and not for limiting the scope of protection of this utility model.

[0024] Please see Figures 1 to 3 It should be understood that the structures, proportions, sizes, etc., illustrated in the accompanying drawings are merely for illustrative purposes to aid those skilled in the art and to facilitate understanding. They are not intended to limit the scope of this invention and therefore have no substantial technical significance. Any modifications to the structure, changes in proportions, or adjustments to size, without affecting the effectiveness or purpose of this invention, should still fall within the scope of the technical content disclosed herein. Furthermore, the terms used in this specification regarding position, quantity, etc., are merely for clarity and not intended to limit the scope of this invention. Changes or adjustments to these relative relationships, without substantially altering the technical content, should also be considered within the scope of this invention's implementation.

[0025] Please see Figure 1This utility model provides a three-chamber air spring structure, including a first air chamber 1, a second air chamber 2, and a third air chamber 3 arranged sequentially from the top to the bottom of the air spring. A first chamber 10, a second chamber 20, and a third chamber 30 are respectively formed in the first air chamber 1, the second air chamber 2, and the third air chamber 3. A first solenoid valve 11 and a second solenoid valve 31 are respectively installed in the first air chamber 1 and the third air chamber 3. The working volume of the first chamber 10 and the third chamber 30 can be adjusted by switching the first solenoid valve 11 and the second solenoid valve 31.

[0026] Specifically, in this embodiment of the invention, the first air chamber 1 can be arranged in the upper housing of the air spring, and cooperates with the first solenoid valve 11 installed in the first air chamber 1, so that the working volume of the first chamber 10 can be adjusted by switching it on and off according to actual working needs, thereby affecting the performance parameters such as the stiffness of the air spring. The second air chamber 2 is located in the middle of the air spring, and it can generally refer directly to the chamber formed by the air spring's own bladder. The third air chamber 3 can be arranged in the lower housing of the air spring, corresponding to the piston 4 of the air spring, and cooperates with the second solenoid valve 31 installed in the third air chamber 3 to adjust whether the working volume of the third chamber 30 is activated. When the second solenoid valve 31 is open, the third chamber 30 can participate in the working volume combination of the air spring, thereby changing the overall stiffness characteristics of the air spring; conversely, when the second solenoid valve 31 is closed, the third chamber 30 is in a relatively isolated state and does not participate in the current working volume calculation.

[0027] The air spring forms a three-chamber structure by setting three air chambers. The first solenoid valve 11 and the second solenoid valve 31 control whether the working volume of the first chamber 10 and the third chamber 30 is activated, thereby realizing the flexible switching of various stiffness modes of the air spring. This fully meets the diverse needs of the vehicle for suspension system performance under different driving conditions, and improves the vehicle's stability, comfort and handling performance.

[0028] It should be noted that, apart from the second chamber 20, which is composed of its own bladder, the size and shape of the first chamber 10 and the third chamber 30 in the air spring can be designed according to different stiffness requirements. Similarly, the corresponding first solenoid valve 11 and second solenoid valve 31 can be selectively opened, or both can be opened, to form different working volumes, thereby realizing multi-level stiffness adjustment of the air spring.

[0029] For further information, please refer to [link / reference]. Figures 1 to 3The first air chamber 1 includes an upper housing 101 and a lower housing 102 that are sealed together at the top of the air spring. The second air chamber 2 includes a piston 4, a bladder 5, and a sealing ring that are sealed together at the middle of the air spring. The third air chamber 3 includes an upper housing 301 and a lower housing 302 that are sealed together at the bottom of the air spring as an auxiliary air chamber.

[0030] Specifically, the first air chamber 1 is located at the upper part of the air spring, and it can be formed by welding and sealing the upper housing 101 and the lower housing 102 together. This sealing connection process ensures the airtightness of the first air chamber 1, providing a stable space for gas storage and flow. The second air chamber 2 is located in the middle of the air spring, and its components may include a piston 4, a bladder 5, and a sealing ring. These components are also combined together by sealing connection to form the second air chamber 2. The third air chamber 3 is located at the lower part of the air spring, and it can also be directly formed by sealing the upper housing 301 and the lower housing 302 of the additional air chamber together.

[0031] More specifically, in practical applications, the material selection for components such as the first air chamber 1, the second air chamber 2, the third air chamber 3, and the piston 4 constituting the second air chamber 2 is flexible. It is not limited to metals such as aluminum; non-metallic materials such as plastics can also be used, depending on product performance requirements and cost considerations. For example, using plastics can reduce the overall weight of the air spring to some extent, contributing to the lightweight design of the vehicle. Using metals, on the other hand, may offer advantages in strength and durability. The rigidity of metals may be more conducive to maintaining the stable shape of the air chamber under high pressure, while the flexibility of non-metallic materials may perform better in absorbing vibrations. In applications where noise control is more sensitive, non-metallic materials may be more advantageous due to their superior sound insulation properties.

[0032] Please see Figure 1 and Figure 2 In one embodiment, the first air chamber 1 and the second air chamber 2 are connected by an air hole 6. The third air chamber 3 and the second air chamber 2 are connected by a gas passage 9. An air inlet passage 7 with an air spring is arranged on the first air chamber 1, and a one-way valve nozzle in the air inlet passage 7 is connected to the second chamber 20.

[0033] Specifically, in this embodiment of the invention, the first chamber 10 and the second chamber 20 are connected through the air hole 6, providing gas exchange for switching between different stiffness modes of the air spring. The gas channel 9 between the third chamber 3 and the second chamber 2, in conjunction with the switching of the second solenoid valve 31, controls whether the third chamber 30 is used as a working volume when the air spring stiffness is adjusted, thus meeting the stiffness requirements of the air spring under different operating conditions. Furthermore, an air inlet channel 7 for the air spring is arranged at the first chamber 1, and it is directly connected to the second chamber 20 via a one-way valve nozzle in the air inlet channel 7, thereby inflating the air spring through the nozzle on the one-way valve.

[0034] Please see Figure 1 and Figure 2 In one embodiment, the first solenoid valve 11 is arranged horizontally, and the second solenoid valve 31 is arranged vertically. When a conventionally vertically arranged solenoid valve operates, the resulting noise is transmitted along the axial direction of the air spring. Since the air spring is tightly connected to the vehicle body, this axially transmitted noise is easily conducted to the vehicle body and then into the vehicle interior. Especially during vehicle operation, the frequent opening and closing of the solenoid valves, due to the vertical arrangement, can continuously disturb the occupants, affecting not only the passenger experience but also potentially distracting the driver and posing a potential threat to driving safety.

[0035] Specifically, in this embodiment, the first solenoid valve 11 is arranged horizontally. When the solenoid valve is in operation, i.e., when it performs a switching action, the direction of the abnormal noise it generates will change due to the horizontal arrangement. The horizontal arrangement makes the direction of abnormal noise propagation perpendicular to the axis of the air spring, preventing the abnormal noise from being directly transmitted to the vehicle body along the axis of the air spring, effectively reducing the noise entering the vehicle and improving the quietness of the vehicle interior.

[0036] It should be noted that the first solenoid valve 11 is arranged horizontally, while the second solenoid valve 31 can be arranged horizontally or vertically. Since the air spring position of the first solenoid valve 11 is close to the vehicle body, its horizontal arrangement ensures that its opening and closing direction is parallel to the vehicle body, thus reducing abnormal noise during air spring operation. The air spring position of the second solenoid valve 31 is far from the vehicle body, and it can be arranged either horizontally or vertically.

[0037] Please see Figure 1 In one embodiment, a wedge block 8 is also installed on the piston 4 of the air spring. The wedge block 8 adopts a two-half structure and is snapped onto the piston 4.

[0038] Specifically, the two-part wedge-shaped block 8, which is directly snapped onto the piston 4, facilitates easy installation and disassembly. During the trial production process, it allows for repeated adjustments and optimizations of various parameters of the air spring. It provides piston 4 angles at different angles for initial calibration, is easy to install and remove, improves the required stiffness for calibration, meets the overall vehicle performance requirements, and saves time and cost in air spring trial production.

[0039] By selecting different wedge blocks 8 to attach to the piston 4, the installation angle can be flexibly adjusted, providing a wide range of options for the initial parameter tuning of the air spring. Different wedge blocks 8 with varying parameters can be selected and attached to the piston 4 according to different tuning requirements. Different wedge block angles will alter the motion characteristics of the piston 4 within the air spring, thus affecting the air spring's stiffness. For example, when the wedge block angle changes, the piston 4's resistance to movement under gas pressure, displacement, and sealing performance with the chamber wall will all change accordingly. These changes are ultimately reflected in the air spring's stiffness value. In this way, the air spring's stiffness can be precisely adjusted according to the vehicle's performance requirements, ensuring the air spring matches the vehicle's suspension system and driving characteristics.

[0040] In one embodiment, the first solenoid valve 11 and the second solenoid valve 31 are switched independently, so that the first chamber 10 and the third chamber 30 may or may not have working volumes.

[0041] Specifically, in this embodiment of the invention, the gas flow path into the air spring is as follows: it enters the second chamber 20 from the one-way valve nozzle, and then enters the first chamber 10 through the air hole 6 between the second chamber 20 and the first chamber 10. The first solenoid valve 11 is a single-channel switch and is normally open. The second solenoid valve 31 in the third chamber 30 is also a single-channel switch and is similarly normally open. When neither the first solenoid valve 11 nor the second solenoid valve 31 is energized, the working volume of the air spring is the sum of the volumes of the first chamber 10, the second chamber 20, and the third chamber 30, corresponding to air spring stiffness one. When the first solenoid valve 11 is energized and the second solenoid valve 31 is not energized, the working volume of the air spring is the sum of the volumes of the second chamber 20 and the third chamber 30, corresponding to air spring stiffness two. When the first solenoid valve 11 is not energized and the second solenoid valve 31 is energized, the working volume of the air spring is the sum of the volumes of the first chamber 10 and the second chamber 20, corresponding to air spring stiffness three. When both the first solenoid valve 11 and the second solenoid valve 31 are energized, the working volume of the air spring is the sum of the volumes of the second chamber 20, corresponding to air spring stiffness four.

[0042] In this way, by independently controlling the switching states of the first solenoid valve 11 and the second solenoid valve 31, a variety of different working volume configurations can be combined, thereby achieving precise adjustment of multiple stiffness modes of the three-chamber air spring, providing the vehicle with diversified suspension performance, and improving the vehicle's comfort, stability and handling in different driving scenarios.

[0043] In summary, this utility model provides a three-chamber air spring structure. Two solenoid valves control the opening and closing of the gas passages within the air spring's internal chambers to change its working volume, thus achieving different stiffnesses. The three chambers are welded together with sealing rings to form a sealed chamber. Combined with the two-part wedge-shaped block engaged on the piston, this allows for different angles for initial air spring adjustments, saving time and cost in air spring prototyping. Furthermore, the solenoid valves, positioned horizontally near the vehicle body, reduce the risk of abnormal noise from the solenoid valves.

[0044] The above embodiments are merely illustrative of the principles and effects of this utility model and are not intended to limit the scope of this utility model. Any person skilled in the art can modify or alter the above embodiments without departing from the spirit and scope of this utility model. Therefore, all equivalent modifications or alterations made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and technical concept disclosed in this utility model should still be covered by the claims of this utility model.

Claims

1. A three-chamber air spring structure, characterized in that, The air spring includes a first air chamber (1), a second air chamber (2), and a third air chamber (3) arranged sequentially from the top to the bottom. A first chamber (10), a second chamber (20), and a third chamber (30) are formed in the first air chamber (1), the second air chamber (2), and the third air chamber (3), respectively. A first solenoid valve (11) and a second solenoid valve (31) are installed in the first air chamber (1) and the third air chamber (3), respectively. The presence of working volume in the first chamber (10) and the third chamber (30) is adjusted by switching the first solenoid valve (11) and the second solenoid valve (31).

2. The air spring structure according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first air chamber (1) includes an upper housing (101) and a lower housing (102) that are sealed and connected to the upper part of the air spring.

3. The air spring structure according to claim 1, characterized in that, The second air chamber (2) includes a piston (4), a bladder (5), and a sealing ring that are sealed in the middle of the air spring.

4. The air spring structure according to claim 1, characterized in that, The third air chamber (3) includes an upper housing (301) and a lower housing (302) of the auxiliary air chamber that are sealed to the lower part of the air spring.

5. The air spring structure according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first air chamber (1) and the second air chamber (2) are connected by an air hole (6).

6. The air spring structure according to claim 1, characterized in that, The third air chamber (3) and the second air chamber (2) are connected by an open gas channel (9).

7. The air spring structure according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first air chamber (1) is provided with an air inlet channel (7) for the air spring. The one-way valve nozzle in the air inlet channel (7) is connected to the first air chamber (1). Gas enters the second chamber (20) through an air hole (6) between the first air chamber (1) and the second air chamber (2).

8. The air spring structure according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first solenoid valve (11) is arranged in the horizontal direction, and the second solenoid valve (31) is arranged in the vertical direction.

9. The air spring structure according to claim 1, characterized in that, The piston (4) of the air spring is also equipped with a wedge block (8), which has a two-part structure and is snapped onto the piston (4).

10. The air spring structure according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first solenoid valve (11) and the second solenoid valve (31) are switched independently, so that the first chamber (10) and the third chamber (30) may or may not have working volume.

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