Air spring assembly and air suspension system

Abstract

The utility model relates to the technical field of air springs, and provides an air spring assembly and an air suspension system. The air spring assembly comprises an air bag and a piston assembled at the end of the air bag. The cushion block is arranged at the first end, away from the air bag, of the piston, the first end of the piston is provided with a limiting cavity, the cushion block is provided with a channel communicating with the limiting cavity, and the first end, away from the piston, of the cushion block is provided with a mounting part; the connecting piece comprises a head part and a rod part, the head part extends into the limiting cavity and is limited by the second end, close to the piston, of the cushion block, and the rod part penetrates through the channel and extends out. According to the air spring assembly, through cooperation of the cushion block, the connecting piece and the piston, the air spring assembly can be suitable for scenes with different suspension heights so as to adapt to different vehicle models, flexible connection is provided so as to adapt to dynamic working conditions of vehicles, meanwhile, the service life of parts is prolonged, and the working performance of the air spring assembly is improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of air spring technology, and more specifically, to air spring assemblies and air suspension systems. Background Technology

[0002] An air spring is a spring device that uses compressed air as an elastic medium and is widely used in vehicle suspensions.

[0003] The main components of an air spring include an air bladder and a piston. The air bladder is filled with compressed air, and the stiffness of the air spring can be changed by adjusting the air pressure in the air bladder to adapt to different loads and operating conditions. The piston is assembled at the end of the air bladder, and the end of the air bladder can be sealed and pressed onto the piston using components such as clamps and buckles. The piston supports the air bladder and performs a load-bearing function.

[0004] There are currently two common methods for assembling air springs with vehicle suspension:

[0005] One method is to directly mount the piston onto the air spring support arm of the vehicle suspension. The problem is that this method is not suitable for scenarios with high suspension heights and cannot be adapted to different vehicle models.

[0006] Another method involves mounting the piston on the airbag support arm via a heightening plate. The problem is that the heightening plate cannot provide a flexible connection with the piston and cannot adapt to the dynamic operating conditions of the vehicle.

[0007] It should be noted that the information disclosed in the background section above is only used to enhance the understanding of the background of this utility model, and therefore may include information that does not constitute prior art known to those skilled in the art. Utility Model Content

[0008] In view of this, the present invention provides an air spring assembly and an air suspension system, which can solve the problems that current air springs cannot be applied to scenarios with different suspension heights and cannot provide flexible connections to adapt to the dynamic operating conditions of vehicles.

[0009] According to one aspect of the present invention, an air spring assembly is provided, comprising an air bladder and a piston mounted on an end of the air bladder, and further comprising: a pad disposed at a first end of the piston away from the air bladder, wherein the first end of the piston is provided with a limiting cavity, the pad is provided with a channel communicating with the limiting cavity, and the first end of the pad away from the piston is provided with a mounting portion; a connecting member comprising a head and a rod, the head extending into the limiting cavity and being limited by a second end of the pad near the piston, and the rod passing through the channel and extending out.

[0010] In some embodiments, there is a clearance fit between the head and the limiting cavity, and between the rod and the channel.

[0011] In some embodiments, the radial dimension of the head is larger than the aperture of the channel.

[0012] In some embodiments, both the head and the limiting cavity are conical, and the tip of the cone is spherical.

[0013] In some embodiments, both the rod and the channel are cylindrical.

[0014] In some embodiments, the mounting portion is formed as a radially outwardly protruding shoulder, the shoulder being provided with fastener mounting holes.

[0015] In some embodiments, the protruding end of the rod is limited by the first end of the pad.

[0016] In some embodiments, the axial distance between the protruding end and the head is greater than the axial height of the channel.

[0017] In some embodiments, the radial dimension of the protruding end is larger than the aperture of the channel.

[0018] In some embodiments, the protruding end is provided with an anti-detachment component, which is limited by the first end of the pad.

[0019] In some embodiments, the anti-detachment element is formed as a wire retaining ring embedded in the protruding end.

[0020] In some embodiments, the piston is formed as a plastic piston, and / or the pad is formed as an aluminum alloy pad or a plastic pad, and / or the connector is formed as a plastic connector.

[0021] According to another aspect of the present invention, an air suspension system is provided, the air suspension system being configured with an air spring assembly as described in any of the above embodiments; wherein the air spring assembly is mounted on the airbag support arm of the vehicle via the mounting portion, and the mounting portion and the airbag support arm are connected by at least one fastener installed from top to bottom.

[0022] In some embodiments, the protruding end of the rod extends into the opening of the airbag support arm and is clearance-fitted with the opening.

[0023] The beneficial effects of this utility model compared with the prior art include at least the following:

[0024] The mounting section of the pad is for mounting the air spring assembly to the air spring support arm of the vehicle suspension. The height of the pad can be adjusted according to the required suspension height, making the air spring assembly suitable for scenarios with different suspension heights. The piston and pad are provided with interconnected limiting chambers and channels. The head of the connector extends into the limiting chamber of the piston and is limited by the second end of the pad. The rod of the connector passes through the channel of the pad and extends out. The connector allows for a relatively flexible connection between the pad and the piston, allowing for a certain degree of bounce and rotation to adapt to the dynamic conditions of the vehicle. The connector between the piston and the pad not only allows for a flexible connection while limiting it to prevent the pad from disengaging from the piston, but also reduces wear between the piston and the pad through the flexible connection, extending the service life of the piston and the pad.

[0025] Therefore, the air spring assembly of this utility model, through the cooperation of the pad, connecting parts and piston, can be applied to scenarios with different suspension heights to adapt to different vehicle models, and provides flexible connection to adapt to the dynamic working conditions of the vehicle, while improving the service life of the parts and enhancing the working performance of the air spring assembly.

[0026] It should be understood that the above general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only, and do not limit the present invention. Attached Figure Description

[0027] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and form part of this specification, illustrate embodiments conforming to the present invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the present invention. It is obvious that the drawings described below are merely some embodiments of the present invention, and those skilled in the art can obtain other drawings based on these drawings without any inventive effort.

[0028] Figure 1 A cross-sectional view of the air spring assembly in an embodiment of this utility model is shown.

[0029] Figure 2 This is an enlarged structural diagram showing the position of the protruding end of the rod in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0030] Figure 3 A partial structural schematic diagram of the air suspension system in an embodiment of this utility model is shown. Detailed Implementation

[0031] Exemplary embodiments will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, these exemplary embodiments can be implemented in many forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided to make the present invention more comprehensive and complete, and to fully convey the concept of the exemplary embodiments to those skilled in the art.

[0032] The accompanying drawings are merely illustrative of the present invention and are not necessarily drawn to scale. The same reference numerals in the drawings denote the same or similar structures, and therefore, repeated descriptions of them will be omitted.

[0033] The use of terms such as "first," "second," and similar words in the specific description does not indicate any order, quantity, or importance, but is merely used to distinguish different components. Furthermore, in the description of this utility model, when it is said that a device is "connected" to another device, this includes not only direct connections but also indirect connections through other elements.

[0034] It should be noted that, unless otherwise specified, the embodiments of this utility model and the features in different embodiments can be combined with each other.

[0035] Figure 1 The cross-sectional view of the air spring assembly is shown in the diagram. Figure 1 As shown, the air spring assembly provided in this embodiment of the present invention includes:

[0036] Airbag 10 and piston 20 assembled at the end of airbag 10;

[0037] A pad 30 is disposed at the first end of the piston 20 away from the airbag 10. The first end of the piston 20 is provided with a limiting cavity 21, the pad 30 is provided with a channel 31 communicating with the limiting cavity 21, and the first end of the pad 30 away from the piston 20 is provided with a mounting part 32.

[0038] The connector 40 includes a head 41 and a rod 42. The head 41 extends into the limiting cavity 21 and is limited by the second end of the pad 30 near the piston 20. The rod 42 passes through the channel 31 and extends out.

[0039] Air spring assemblies are typically mounted vertically in the vehicle suspension. In this scenario, the first end of piston 20 refers to its lower end, the first end of spacer 30 refers to its lower end, and the second end of spacer 30 refers to its upper end. In some special scenarios, air spring assemblies can also be mounted non-vertically in the vehicle suspension. In this case, the first end of piston 20 refers to the end furthest from airbag 10, and the first and second ends of spacer 30 refer to the ends of spacer 30 furthest from and closest to piston 20, respectively.

[0040] The mounting portion 32 of the pad 30 is used for mounting the air spring assembly to the airbag support arm of the vehicle suspension. The height of the pad 30 can be adjusted according to the required suspension height, making the air spring assembly suitable for scenarios with different suspension heights. The mounting portion 32 is located at the first end of the pad 30, which facilitates the installation of the pad 30 to the airbag support arm without interfering with components such as the piston 20. The piston 20 and the pad 30 are provided with a connected limiting cavity 21 and a channel 31. The head 41 of the connector 40 extends into the limiting cavity 21 of the piston 20 and is limited by the second end of the pad 30. The rod portion 42 of the connector 40 has sufficient length to pass through the channel 31 of the pad 30 and extend out. The connector 40 enables a relatively flexible connection between the pad 30 and the piston 20, allowing a certain degree of bounce and rotation between the pad 30 and the piston 20 to adapt to the dynamic conditions of the vehicle and prevent the pad 30 from disengaging from the piston 20. The connector 40 is connected between the piston 20 and the pad 30. It not only allows for flexible connection while preventing the pad 30 from separating from the piston 20, but also reduces wear between the piston 20 and the pad 30 through flexible connection, thus extending the service life of the piston 20 and the pad 30.

[0041] The air spring assembly of this utility model, through the cooperation of the pad 30, the connecting piece 40 and the piston 20, can be applied to scenarios with different suspension heights to adapt to different vehicle models, and provides flexible connection to adapt to the dynamic working conditions of the vehicle, while improving the service life of the components and enhancing the working performance of the air spring assembly.

[0042] In some embodiments, the head 41 and the limiting cavity 21, and the rod 42 and the channel 31, are all clearance-fitted. This clearance-fit design allows for a certain degree of torsional freedom between the pad 30 and the piston 20, adapting to dynamic conditions such as vehicle steering. Preferably, the connector 40 is in a slightly clearance-fitted state with the pad 30 and the piston 20 to minimize radial movement. Here, the radial direction is perpendicular to the central axis of the airbag 10; in scenarios where the air spring assembly is vertically mounted in the vehicle suspension, the radial direction is the horizontal direction, or lateral direction.

[0043] In some embodiments, the radial dimension of the head 41 is larger than the aperture of the channel 31. In this way, the head 41 can be limited by the second end of the pad 30, preventing the pad 30 from disengaging from the piston 20.

[0044] In some embodiments, both the head 41 and the limiting cavity 21 are conical, with the tip of the cone being spherical. The conical body and the spherical tip create a smooth fit between the head 41 and the limiting cavity 21, avoiding sharp contact and reducing friction. In other embodiments, the head 41 and the limiting cavity 21 may also adopt other shapes, as long as a smooth fit and reduced friction are achieved.

[0045] In some embodiments, both the rod 42 and the channel 31 are cylindrical. This creates a smooth fit between the rod 42 and the channel 31, avoiding sharp contact and reducing friction. In other embodiments, the rod 42 and the channel 31 may also adopt other shapes, as long as a smooth fit and reduced friction are achieved.

[0046] In some implementations, the connector 40 is specifically formed as a mushroom-shaped component, which can provide a flexible connection, allowing a certain degree of bounce and rotation between the pad 30 and the piston 20, reducing stress concentration, and adapting to the dynamic motion characteristics of the vehicle.

[0047] In some embodiments, the mounting portion 32 is formed as a radially protruding shoulder, and the shoulder is provided with fastener mounting holes. This design allows for a smaller radial dimension of the body of the pad 30, thus reducing the weight of the pad 30; on the other hand, the design of the pad 30 body and the narrower second end and wider first end facilitates demolding during manufacturing.

[0048] In some implementations, the shoulder can be formed as a ring-shaped shoulder to facilitate manufacturing and improve the overall stability of the pad 30, but this is not a limitation.

[0049] In some embodiments, the mounting portion 32 may also be built into the pad 30, i.e., the pad 30 is annular in shape, and the mounting portion 32 is formed by a countersunk hole structure built into the pad 30.

[0050] In some embodiments, the protruding end 420 of the rod 42 is limited by the first end of the pad 30 to effectively prevent the pad 30 from disengaging from the piston 20.

[0051] In some embodiments, the distance along the axial direction Z between the protruding end 420 of the rod 42 and the head 41 is greater than the height along the axial direction Z of the channel 31. This design allows for a certain degree of freedom of movement in the axial direction Z between the pad 30 and the piston 20 to accommodate dynamic conditions such as wheel bounce. This degree of freedom should not be too large to avoid affecting the stability of the air spring assembly. For example, this degree of freedom can be designed to be about 2 mm, but is not limited to this. Here, axial direction Z refers to the direction of the central axis of the airbag 10; in the scenario where the air spring assembly is vertically mounted in the vehicle suspension, axial direction Z is the vertical direction, or longitudinal direction.

[0052] In some embodiments, the radial dimension of the protruding end 420 is larger than the aperture of the channel 31, so that the protruding end 420 can be limited by the first end of the pad 30, preventing the pad 30 from separating from the piston 20. The protruding end 420 may be provided with an anti-detachment component, which is detachable, so that during assembly, the rod portion 42 of the connector 40 is first passed through the channel 31 of the pad 30 and protrudes, and then the anti-detachment component is assembled; the radial dimension of the anti-detachment component in the circumferential direction or part of the circumferential direction is larger than the aperture of the channel 31, so that the protruding end 420 is limited by the first end of the pad 30, and at the same time, in conjunction with the design that the head 41 of the connector 40 extends into the limiting cavity 21 of the piston 20 and is limited by the second end of the pad 30, it prevents the pad 30 from separating from the piston 20 during the movement of the air spring assembly.

[0053] Figure 2 The diagram shows an enlarged view of the extended end of the rod, combined with... Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, in some embodiments, the protruding end 420 is provided with an anti-detachment member 43, which is limited by the first end of the pad 30. The anti-detachment member 43 may be formed as a radially convex structure, and when the air spring assembly is assembled to the airbag support arm 50 of the vehicle, the anti-detachment member 43 extends into the opening 51 of the airbag support arm 50 and is clearance-fitted with the opening 51.

[0054] In some embodiments, the anti-detachment member 43 is formed as a wire retainer embedded in the protruding end 420. The wire retainer has a compact structure and can significantly reduce the radial dimension compared to components such as elastic retainers, so that the radial dimension of the opening 51 of the airbag support arm 50 can be reduced to improve the strength of the airbag support arm 50.

[0055] In some embodiments, the outer diameter of the wire retaining ring is 1 mm to 2 mm larger than the inner diameter of the port of the channel 31, thus achieving both the anti-detachment and limiting function and a compact radial structure design, but this is not a limitation.

[0056] In some embodiments, piston 20 can be a plastic piston to reduce its weight; pad 30 can be an aluminum alloy pad or a plastic pad to reduce its weight; connector 40 can be a plastic connector to reduce its weight, while also reducing friction between piston 20, connector 40, and pad 30. Through the weight-reducing design of the piston 20, connector 40, and pad 30 in terms of materials, the air spring assembly of this invention can be applied to suspension systems requiring lightweight design, such as the suspension systems of new energy vehicles. By using lightweight components, the vehicle's weight can be reduced, significantly increasing the driving range.

[0057] Figure 3 The diagram illustrates a partial structure of the air suspension system, combined with... Figure 1 and Figure 3As shown, this embodiment of the present invention also provides an air suspension system, which is equipped with an air spring assembly 100 as described in any of the above embodiments. The air spring assembly 100 is mounted on the airbag support arm 50 of the vehicle via a mounting part 32. The mounting part 32 and the airbag support arm 50 are connected by at least one fastener 60 installed from top to bottom. Further, the protruding end 420 of the rod part 42 extends into the opening 51 of the airbag support arm 50 and is clearance-fitted with the opening 51.

[0058] The fasteners 60 are preferably multiple to make the connection between the mounting part 32 and the airbag support arm 50 more reliable. The fasteners 60 are installed from top to bottom, so that the mounting part 32 forms a stop, preventing the fasteners 60 from moving downwards under gravity, thereby preventing the fasteners 60 from loosening and falling off, and ensuring a stable connection between the mounting part 32 and the airbag support arm 50. The top-to-bottom installation of the fasteners 60 can be along the Z-axis, or it can have a certain inclination relative to the Z-axis but be generally installed from top to bottom.

[0059] It should be noted that, Figure 3 The diagram only illustrates a portion of the air suspension system structure, specifically the structure related to the air spring assembly 100 of this invention. The air suspension system may also include thrust rod assemblies, shock absorber assemblies, and other structures. Figure 3 It is not specifically shown in the text.

[0060] The air suspension system employs the aforementioned air spring assembly, which, through the pad 30, can achieve a specific suspension height H to adapt to the needs of specific vehicle models. Specifically, in the scenario where the air spring assembly is vertically mounted in the vehicle suspension, the suspension height H refers to the vertical distance between the upper end of the airbag 10 and the wheel center S. Furthermore, the air suspension system of this invention, using the aforementioned air spring assembly, can provide a flexible connection through the connecting member 40, allowing for a certain degree of bounce and rotation between the piston 20 and the pad 30 to adapt to the dynamic conditions of the vehicle and improve the performance of the air suspension system. The connecting member 40 also reduces friction between the piston 20 and the pad 30, increasing the service life of components and enhancing the working performance of the air spring assembly and the air suspension system. The air suspension system of this invention can also achieve a lighter weight through weight-reduction design of the various components of the air spring assembly, making it suitable for vehicles requiring lightweight design, such as new energy vehicles.

[0061] The above description, in conjunction with specific preferred embodiments, provides a further detailed explanation of the present invention. It should not be construed that the specific implementation of the present invention is limited to these descriptions. For those skilled in the art, various simple deductions or substitutions can be made without departing from the concept of the present invention, and all such modifications and substitutions should be considered within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. An air spring assembly comprising an air bladder and a piston mounted on an end of the air bladder, characterized in that, Also includes: A pad is disposed at the first end of the piston away from the airbag, wherein the first end of the piston is provided with a limiting cavity, the pad is provided with a channel communicating with the limiting cavity, and the first end of the pad away from the piston is provided with a mounting part; The connector includes a head and a rod, the head extending into the limiting cavity and being limited by a second end of the pad near the piston, and the rod passing through the channel and extending out.

2. The air spring assembly as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that, There is a clearance fit between the head and the limiting cavity, and between the rod and the channel.

3. The air spring assembly as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The radial dimension of the head is larger than the aperture of the channel.

4. The air spring assembly as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that, Both the head and the limiting cavity are conical, and the tip of the cone is spherical.

5. The air spring assembly as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that, Both the rod and the channel are cylindrical.

6. The air spring assembly as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that, The mounting portion is formed as a radially outwardly protruding shoulder, and the shoulder is provided with fastener mounting holes.

7. The air spring assembly as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that, The protruding end of the rod is limited by the first end of the pad.

8. The air spring assembly as claimed in claim 7, characterized in that, The axial distance between the protruding end and the head is greater than the axial height of the channel.

9. The air spring assembly as claimed in claim 7, characterized in that, The radial dimension of the protruding end is larger than the aperture of the channel.

10. The air spring assembly as claimed in claim 7, characterized in that, The protruding end is provided with an anti-detachment component, which is limited by the first end of the pad.

11. The air spring assembly as claimed in claim 10, characterized in that, The anti-detachment component is formed as a wire retaining ring embedded in the protruding end.

12. The air spring assembly as claimed in any one of claims 1-11, characterized in that, The piston is formed as a plastic piston, and / or the pad is formed as an aluminum alloy pad or a plastic pad, and / or the connector is formed as a plastic connector.

13. An air suspension system, characterized in that, The air suspension system is equipped with an air spring assembly as described in any one of claims 1-12; The air spring assembly is mounted on the airbag support arm of the vehicle via the mounting part, and the mounting part and the airbag support arm are connected by at least one fastener installed from top to bottom.

14. The air suspension system as claimed in claim 13, characterized in that, The protruding end of the rod extends into the opening of the airbag support arm and is fitted with the opening with a clearance.

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