Air spring with transverse and vertical stiffness ratio larger than 1

Abstract

The utility model discloses an air spring with the ratio of transverse rigidity to vertical rigidity larger than 1, which comprises a bag skin, an upper cover and a piston which form a closed cavity, the closed cavity is filled with gas with set pressure so as to enable the bag skin to expand, the periphery of the upper cover is connected with an outer sleeve part, and the outer sleeve part extends vertically and wraps the outer side wall part of the bag skin. The air spring is provided with the outer sleeve piece, the air spring generates transverse rigidity through the interaction force between the outer sleeve piece and the expansion bag skin, the transverse rigidity of the air spring can be adjusted by adjusting the vertical height of the outer sleeve piece, and then the ratio of the transverse rigidity to the vertical rigidity of the air spring is larger than 1. The transverse stroke and the vertical stroke of the air spring are both large, rigidity sudden change does not exist in the operation process, and the overall stability is good. The air spring is simple in overall structure and low in production cost, the fatigue life of the bag skin of the air spring can be prolonged through shape optimization of the outer sleeve piece, and reliability is improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of air springs, specifically to an air spring with a lateral stiffness ratio greater than 1. Background Technology

[0002] An air spring assembly typically consists of a bladder, an upper cover, and a lower cover (piston). The bladder is sealed to the upper and lower covers via an interference fit or a compression seal, forming a sealed chamber. Under constrained conditions, compressed gas, such as air or nitrogen, is introduced into this sealed chamber. Under this internal pressure, the air spring assembly exhibits elasticity, possessing vertical stiffness, which generally exhibits non-linear characteristics. While also possessing lateral stiffness under internal pressure, the lateral stiffness is typically low, especially in diaphragm air springs where it can be negative, limiting its application range.

[0003] A search revealed a utility model patent with patent number "201910769283.9" entitled "Nonlinear Air Spring." This patent includes an upper support, an airbag, an auxiliary spring, and a base plate, achieving nonlinear characteristics in the horizontal direction stiffness to ensure the vehicle's lateral stability and comfort. However, this air spring exhibits abrupt stiffness changes during operation, resulting in poor running stability. Another example is a utility model patent with patent number "201911095409.5" entitled "A Nonlinear Air Spring and Its Lateral Stiffness Design Method," which achieves three levels of lateral nonlinear stiffness, better adapting to various track conditions. While ensuring vehicle safety requirements, this air spring also suffers from problems such as abrupt changes in lateral stiffness and unstable operation, and its lateral stiffness is not adjustable. For example, patent number "201810761812.6", entitled "An Air Spring Providing Lateral Stiffness", provides lateral stiffness to the air spring by setting a steel strip in the air spring bladder. Adding a wear plate to the stop seat can support the vehicle body and reduce wear caused by the lateral position of the air spring, thereby improving the durability of the air spring. However, the method of achieving lateral stiffness in this solution is to add a steel wire ring inside the air bladder, which provides very limited lateral stiffness. For example, patent number "202011153571.0", entitled "A Method for Improving the Lateral Stability of an Air Spring and an Air Spring", increases the lateral force between the upper support and the base of the air spring by setting a friction component between them. This reduces the lateral load on the air spring, avoids or reduces abrupt changes in lateral stiffness and lateral impact, and improves the lateral stability of the air spring. It also allows for adjustable lateral force to meet the objective requirements of lateral stability in vehicle vibration isolation systems, ensuring smooth operation and passenger comfort under various complex working conditions. While this solution achieves lateral stability through a friction pair structure, it places high demands on the friction pair material, resulting in poor durability. Another example is patent number "202111247605.7", entitled "A Method for Improving the Lateral Stability of an Air Spring", which increases the lateral reaction force of the air spring by using a positioning bushing, thereby increasing the lateral-to-vertical stiffness ratio and improving the lateral stability of the air spring. However, under large lateral offset working conditions, the material deformation will accumulate, the lateral stiffness will increase sharply, and the lateral fatigue life of the elastomer will be limited. Utility Model Content

[0004] To address the shortcomings of existing technologies, this invention provides an air spring with a lateral stiffness ratio greater than 1. While improving the lateral stiffness of the air spring, it maintains the required fatigue life of the air spring bladder, thereby enhancing the stability and reliability of the product.

[0005] This utility model achieves the above objectives through the following technical solutions:

[0006] An air spring with a lateral stiffness ratio greater than 1 includes a bladder, a top cover, and a piston forming a sealed chamber. The sealed chamber is filled with gas at a set pressure to inflate the bladder. An outer sleeve is connected to the outer periphery of the top cover. The outer sleeve extends vertically and partially wraps the outer side wall of the bladder, so that the air spring generates lateral stiffness through the interaction force between the outer sleeve and the inflated bladder.

[0007] A further improvement is that the bottom surface of the upper cover is provided with a limiting ring, and the top end of the bladder skin is horizontally close to the bottom surface of the upper cover and narrows inward until it abuts against the outer wall of the limiting ring.

[0008] A further improvement is that a buffer block is provided at the center of the bottom surface of the top cover.

[0009] A further improvement is that the set pressure is 0.5-0.7 MPa.

[0010] A further improvement is that the outer casing is cylindrical in shape, and the top of the outer casing is welded to the outer periphery of the top cover. The bottom end of the outer casing has a smooth, curved surface.

[0011] A further improvement is that the vertical height of the outer casing is 60-150mm.

[0012] A further improvement is that the vertical height of the outer component is adjustable, and: when the vertical height of the outer component increases, the lateral stiffness of the air spring increases, and the lateral-to-vertical stiffness ratio increases; when the vertical height of the outer component decreases, the lateral stiffness of the air spring decreases, and the lateral-to-vertical stiffness ratio decreases.

[0013] A further improvement is that the outer kit is composed of a first cylindrical body and a second cylindrical body, wherein the first cylindrical body is connected to the outer periphery of the upper cover, and the second cylindrical body is coaxially and movably sleeved with the first cylindrical body. The vertical height of the outer kit can be adjusted by changing the overlap between the second cylindrical body and the first cylindrical body.

[0014] A further improvement is that an adjustment element is provided on the outer peripheral wall of the first cylinder to change the degree of overlap between the second cylinder and the first cylinder.

[0015] The beneficial effects of this utility model are as follows:

[0016] (1) The air spring of this utility model is provided with an outer sleeve, which generates lateral stiffness through the interaction force between the outer sleeve and the expansion bladder skin. The lateral stiffness of the air spring can be adjusted by adjusting the vertical height of the outer sleeve, thereby making the lateral stiffness ratio of the air spring greater than 1.

[0017] (2) The air spring of this utility model has a large lateral and vertical stroke, and there is no sudden change in stiffness during operation, resulting in good overall stability.

[0018] (3) The overall structure of the air spring of this utility model is simple and the production cost is low. Furthermore, by optimizing the shape of the outer kit, the fatigue life of the air spring bladder can be improved and the reliability can be increased. Attached Figure Description

[0019] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the external structure of Embodiment 1 of this utility model;

[0020] Figure 2 This is a cross-sectional view of Embodiment 1 of the present utility model;

[0021] Figure 3 This is a cross-sectional view of Embodiment 2 of the present invention;

[0022] In the diagram: 1. Casing skin; 2. Top cover; 21. Limiting ring; 22. Buffer block; 3. Piston; 4. Outer sleeve; 41. Arc-shaped warp; 42. First cylinder; 43. Second cylinder; 44. Adjusting component. Detailed Implementation

[0023] The present application will now be described in further detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be noted that the following specific embodiments are only used to further illustrate the present application and should not be construed as limiting the scope of protection of the present application. Those skilled in the art can make some non-essential improvements and adjustments to the present application based on the above application content.

[0024] Example 1

[0025] Combination Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, an air spring with a lateral stiffness ratio greater than 1 includes a bladder 1, a top cover 2, and a piston 3 forming a sealed chamber. The sealed chamber is filled with gas at a set pressure to inflate the bladder 1. An outer sleeve 4 is connected to the outer periphery of the top cover 2. The outer sleeve 4 extends vertically and wraps around the outer side wall of the bladder 1. The reaction force of the outer sleeve 4 laterally compressing the inflated bladder 1 causes the top cover 2 of the air spring to generate a lateral thrust. Thus, the air spring generates lateral stiffness through the interaction force between the outer sleeve 4 and the inflated bladder 1.

[0026] Preferably, in this embodiment, the bottom surface of the upper cover 2 is provided with a limiting ring 21. The limiting ring 21 has a certain height and is coaxially arranged with the upper cover 2. The top end of the bladder 1 is horizontally close to the bottom surface of the upper cover 2 and narrows inward until it abuts the outer wall of the limiting ring 21. After the bladder 1 expands, the fit between the bladder 1 and the upper cover 2 can be stable and the airtightness is good.

[0027] Preferably, in this embodiment, a buffer block 22 is provided at the center of the bottom surface of the upper cover 2. The buffer block 22 is fixed on the upper cover 2 and can support the load-bearing weight when the air spring is deficient in air, thus protecting the air spring bladder 1 from damage.

[0028] Preferably, the set pressure in this embodiment is 0.5-0.7MPa, such as 0.5MPa, 0.6MPa, 0.7MPa, etc., and its magnitude will affect the magnitude of the lateral thrust.

[0029] Preferably, in this embodiment, the outer sleeve 4 is cylindrical in shape, and the top of the outer sleeve 4 is welded to the outer periphery of the upper cover 2. The bottom end of the outer sleeve 4 has a smooth arc-shaped warp 41. The function of the arc-shaped warp 41 is to prevent the bladder 1 from being damaged when it flexes. This can ensure that while improving the lateral stiffness of the air spring body, the fatigue life of the air spring bladder 1 meets the requirements.

[0030] Preferably, in this embodiment, the vertical height of the outer kit 4 is 60-150mm, which can be configured according to the specific vehicle driving requirements.

[0031] The assembly height and pressure inside the sealed chamber of the air spring in Example 1 were adjusted, and the corresponding vertical and lateral stiffness were tested. The test results are shown in Tables 1 and 2 below:

[0032] Table 1: Vertical Dynamic Characteristics Data Table

[0033]

[0034] Table 2: Lateral Dynamic Characteristics Data Table

[0035] Height (mm) Air pressure (bar) Travel distance (mm) Lateral stiffness (N / mm) 240 0.65 ±25 155 270 0.65 ±25 140 300 0.65 ±25 139

[0036] As can be seen from Tables 1 and 2, the air spring produced by this invention has a lateral stiffness ratio greater than 1. The lateral stiffness can be adjusted by changing the overall assembly height: when the vertical height of the outer sleeve 4 is fixed within a reasonable range, such as the 90mm used in the experiment, as the overall assembly height gradually increases from 240mm, 270mm to 300mm, the greater the uncovered height of the outer sleeve 4, the greater the negative lateral stiffness, and the smaller the overall lateral stiffness. When the overall assembly height is fixed, such as the 270mm used in the experiment, the vertical stiffness gradually increases with increasing air pressure. Furthermore, this air spring assembly has a large lateral travel and a smooth stiffness change, providing more comfortable support performance.

[0037] Example 2

[0038] This embodiment optimizes the structure of the outer kit 4 based on embodiment 1. Specifically, it adopts an outer kit 4 with adjustable vertical height. When the vertical height of the outer kit 4 increases, the lateral stiffness of the air spring increases, and the lateral-to-vertical stiffness ratio increases; when the vertical height of the outer kit 4 decreases, the lateral stiffness of the air spring decreases, and the lateral-to-vertical stiffness ratio decreases. Thus, after installing the air spring product on the vehicle, its lateral stiffness can be adjusted according to the owner's needs and preferences without replacing the product.

[0039] Specifically, as shown in Figure 3, the outer sleeve 4 is composed of a first cylinder 42 and a second cylinder 43. The first cylinder 42 is welded to the outer periphery of the upper cover 2, and the second cylinder 43 is coaxially and movably sleeved with the first cylinder 42. The two can slide against each other. In this way, by changing the overlap of the sleeve between the second cylinder 43 and the first cylinder 42, the vertical height of the outer sleeve 4 can be adjusted, thereby adjusting the lateral stiffness of the air spring.

[0040] Additionally, an adjusting member 44 is provided on the outer peripheral wall of the first cylindrical body 42 to change the overlap between the second cylindrical body 43 and the first cylindrical body 42. The adjusting member 44 can be of any form, for example… Figure 3 The bolt adjustment method used in this system has lugs on the outer walls of both the first cylinder 42 and the second cylinder 43. The bottom end of the bolt is rotatably connected to the lug of the second cylinder 43, and the upper part of the bolt is threaded into the lug of the first cylinder 42. By rotating the bolt, the second cylinder 43 can be adjusted up and down. After adjustment, it can be locked with two nuts to prevent loosening.

[0041] The embodiments described above are merely examples of several implementations of this utility model, and while the descriptions are relatively specific and detailed, they should not be construed as limiting the scope of this utility model patent. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make various modifications and improvements without departing from the concept of this utility model, and these modifications and improvements all fall within the protection scope of this utility model.

Claims

1. An air spring with a lateral stiffness ratio greater than 1, comprising a bladder (1), a top cover (2), and a piston (3) forming a sealed chamber, characterized in that, The sealed chamber is filled with gas at a set pressure to inflate the bladder (1). An outer sleeve (4) is connected to the outer periphery of the top cover (2). The outer sleeve (4) extends vertically and wraps the outer side wall of the bladder (1) so that the air spring generates lateral stiffness through the interaction force between the outer sleeve (4) and the inflated bladder (1).

2. An air spring with a lateral stiffness ratio greater than 1 according to claim 1, characterized in that, The bottom surface of the upper cover (2) is provided with a limiting ring (21), and the top end of the bladder skin (1) is horizontally close to the bottom surface of the upper cover (2) and closes inward until it abuts the outer wall of the limiting ring (21).

3. An air spring with a lateral stiffness ratio greater than 1 according to claim 1, characterized in that, A buffer block (22) is provided at the center of the bottom surface of the top cover (2).

4. An air spring with a lateral stiffness ratio greater than 1 according to claim 1, characterized in that, The set pressure is 0.5-0.7 MPa.

5. An air spring with a lateral stiffness ratio greater than 1 according to claim 1, characterized in that, The outer sleeve (4) is cylindrical in shape, and the top of the outer sleeve (4) is welded to the outer periphery of the top cover (2). The bottom end of the outer sleeve (4) has a smooth arc-shaped warp (41).

6. An air spring with a lateral stiffness ratio greater than 1 according to claim 1, characterized in that, The vertical height of the outer casing (4) is 60-150mm.

7. An air spring with a lateral stiffness ratio greater than 1 according to claim 1, characterized in that, The vertical height of the outer kit (4) is adjustable, and: when the vertical height of the outer kit (4) increases, the lateral stiffness of the air spring increases and the lateral-to-vertical stiffness ratio increases; when the vertical height of the outer kit (4) decreases, the lateral stiffness of the air spring decreases and the lateral-to-vertical stiffness ratio decreases.

8. An air spring with a lateral stiffness ratio greater than 1 according to claim 7, characterized in that, The outer sleeve (4) consists of a first cylinder (42) and a second cylinder (43), wherein the first cylinder (42) is connected to the outer periphery of the upper cover (2), and the second cylinder (43) is coaxially and movably sleeved with the first cylinder (42). The vertical height of the outer sleeve (4) is adjusted by changing the overlap between the second cylinder (43) and the first cylinder (42).

9. An air spring with a lateral stiffness ratio greater than 1 according to claim 8, characterized in that, An adjusting member (44) is provided on the outer peripheral wall of the first cylinder (42) to change the degree of overlap between the second cylinder (43) and the first cylinder (42).

Images