Multi-cavity rigidity-variable air spring structure

Abstract

The multi-cavity rigidity-variable air spring structure comprises an air bag, at least two auxiliary air chambers, an inflation and deflation unit and a control unit, the top and the bottom of the air bag are connected with a supporting top cover and a piston assembly correspondingly, and the main air chamber is arranged in the air bag; the auxiliary air chambers are distributed on the outer side of the main air chamber, each auxiliary air chamber is communicated with the main air chamber through an independent communication channel, and a damping hole and an electromagnetic valve are sequentially arranged on each communication channel; the inflation and deflation unit comprises an air compressor and an air storage cylinder, a gas connector communicated with the interior of the main gas chamber is formed in the center of the top of the supporting top cover, an inflation and deflation pipeline is connected to the gas connector, the air compressor is installed at the other end of the inflation and deflation pipeline, and the air storage cylinder is communicated with the air compressor through a pipeline; and the control unit is electrically connected with the electromagnetic valve and the air compressor. According to the air spring, through multi-cavity combination and air pressure control and adjustment, wide, rapid and accurate adjustment of the rigidity of the air spring is achieved, and the damping performance and adaptability are remarkably improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of air spring technology, and in particular to a multi-cavity variable stiffness air spring structure. Background Technology

[0002] Air springs, as an important damping component, are widely used in many fields due to their unique elastic characteristics. Compared with traditional metal springs, air springs have non-linear elastic characteristics, which can better adapt to different loads and working conditions, providing a more comfortable damping effect.

[0003] However, existing air spring technology still has some significant limitations. Most air springs currently on the market are single-chamber or simple dual-chamber structures, with limited stiffness adjustment ranges, making it difficult to meet the complex and ever-changing real-world usage requirements. For example, in vehicle suspension systems, the stiffness requirements of air springs vary greatly depending on whether the vehicle is unloaded, fully loaded, or at different speeds and road conditions. Single-chamber or dual-chamber air springs cannot adjust their stiffness accurately and in real time according to these changes, thus affecting vehicle comfort and handling stability.

[0004] Furthermore, while some existing multi-chamber air springs possess a certain degree of stiffness adjustment capability, the connection method between the air chambers is relatively fixed, lacking an effective dynamic control mechanism. When faced with sudden vibrations or load changes, their response speed is slow, failing to adjust stiffness promptly to achieve optimal damping effects. Moreover, the inflation and deflation systems of traditional air springs are not sufficiently sophisticated, unable to achieve efficient collaboration with the multi-chamber structure, making precise adjustment of air pressure and stiffness difficult, thus limiting the overall performance improvement of the air spring. Utility Model Content

[0005] This invention addresses the aforementioned problems of existing air springs by providing a multi-cavity variable stiffness air spring structure. This structure can flexibly, quickly, and accurately adjust the stiffness of the air spring according to different loads and working conditions, significantly improving shock absorption performance and adaptability to meet the diverse needs of vehicle suspension systems, industrial equipment vibration damping, and other fields.

[0006] The objective of this utility model is mainly achieved through the following solution:

[0007] A multi-cavity variable stiffness air spring structure, comprising:

[0008] An airbag, the top and bottom of which are respectively connected to a supporting top cover and a piston assembly, and the interior of the airbag is the main air chamber;

[0009] At least two auxiliary gas chambers are located outside the main gas chamber, and each auxiliary gas chamber is connected to the main gas chamber through an independent connecting channel. A damping orifice and a solenoid valve are sequentially provided on the connecting channel.

[0010] The gas filling and discharging unit includes an air compressor and an air storage tank. The top center of the supporting top cover is provided with a gas interface that communicates with the interior of the main air chamber. A gas filling and discharging pipe is connected to the gas interface, and the air compressor is installed at the other end of the gas filling and discharging pipe. The air storage tank is connected to the air compressor through a pipe.

[0011] The control unit is electrically connected to the solenoid valve and the air compressor.

[0012] Preferably, the number of auxiliary gas chambers is 2-4, and their volumes are designed in a gradient manner.

[0013] Preferably, the piston assembly includes a piston body, the piston body having a piston cavity inside, and the upper end of the piston cavity communicating with the main air chamber.

[0014] Preferably, the piston body has a cavity at the center of its bottom, the cavity comprising a hollow chamber, and a through hole communicating with the main chamber at the top of the chamber.

[0015] Preferably, the sidewall of the cavity is provided with several through slots evenly distributed along its axis, and the cavity air chamber is connected to the piston cavity through the through slots.

[0016] In summary, compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following beneficial technical effects:

[0017] (1) This utility model sets up 2-4 auxiliary air chambers with gradient volume design and uses the control unit to control the opening and closing of the solenoid valve to realize multiple combination and connection methods between the main air chamber and different auxiliary air chambers. This multi-chamber combination method greatly increases the range of air chamber volume variation of the air spring, thereby enabling a wider range of stiffness adjustment to meet the diverse needs of air spring stiffness under different working conditions such as no load, medium load, and heavy load.

[0018] (2) By using the combination of solenoid valve and damping orifice, the control unit can quickly control the opening and closing of the air chambers and the gas flow speed. When the external load or working condition changes, the control unit can adjust the connection state and air pressure of the air chambers in a short time, so that the air spring can quickly adapt to the new working condition and realize the rapid adjustment of stiffness, which effectively improves the damping effect and the stability of the system. The damping orifice restricts the flow speed of gas between the auxiliary air chamber and the main air chamber. When the air spring is vibrated, the gas flows through the damping orifice. Due to the resistance of the damping orifice, the flow speed of the gas will slow down, thereby consuming the high-frequency vibration energy and achieving the vibration reduction effect.

[0019] (3) In this utility model, the air compressor and air storage tank of the air charging and discharging unit are connected to the main air chamber through the gas interface and the air charging and discharging pipeline. The control unit can control the operation of the air compressor according to actual needs, carry out air charging and discharging operations on the main air chamber, and work in coordination with the connection control of the auxiliary air chamber to further optimize the stiffness characteristics of the air spring so that it can achieve the best shock absorption performance under various working conditions.

[0020] (4) The present invention provides a more reasonable flow path and buffer space for gas by setting the piston assembly, piston cavity, cavity air chamber and through hole and through groove in cooperation. During the operation of the air spring, the gas can be more evenly distributed and flowed between these structures, reducing the resistance and unevenness of gas flow, thereby improving the shock absorption efficiency and stability of the air spring and extending the service life of the air spring. Attached Figure Description

[0021] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of this utility model;

[0022] Figure 2 This is a schematic cross-sectional view of the present invention;

[0023] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of the main air chamber of this utility model;

[0024] Figure 4 This is an exploded view of the piston assembly in this utility model.

[0025] Reference numerals: 1-Airbag, 2-Supporting top cover, 3-Piston body, 4-Main air chamber, 5-Secondary air chamber, 6-Connecting channel, 7-Damping hole, 8-Solenoid valve, 9-Air compressor, 10-Air storage tank, 11-Gas interface, 12-Inflation / discharge pipe, 13-Piston cavity, 14-Cavity air chamber, 15-Cavity, 16-Through hole, 17-Through groove. Detailed Implementation

[0026] The technical solution of this utility model will be further described in detail below through specific embodiments and in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. It should be understood that the implementation of this utility model is not limited to the following embodiments, and any modifications and / or alterations made to this utility model will fall within the protection scope of this utility model.

[0027] Example 1:

[0028] like Figure 1 , 2 As shown, this utility model discloses a technical solution: a multi-cavity variable stiffness air spring structure, comprising:

[0029] Airbag 1 provides elastic support. The main air chamber 4 is inside airbag 1. The top and bottom of airbag 1 are respectively connected to the support top cover 2 and the piston assembly to ensure the sealing of the connection and prevent gas leakage. Airbag 1 and support top cover 2 are vulcanized bonded or flanged. Airbag 1 and piston assembly are rolled edge pressed or clamped.

[0030] At least two auxiliary air chambers 5 are evenly distributed circumferentially around the main air chamber 4 along the axis of the airbag. Each auxiliary air chamber 5 is connected to the main air chamber 4 through an independent connecting channel 6. A damping hole 7 and a solenoid valve 8 are sequentially arranged on the connecting channel 6. The damping hole can limit the gas flow rate and consume high-frequency vibration energy. The solenoid valve 8 controls the opening and closing of the auxiliary air chamber 5 and adopts a piezoelectric ceramic solenoid valve. The number of auxiliary air chambers 5 is 2-4, and their volumes are designed in a gradient manner. In this embodiment, three auxiliary air chambers 5 are installed, and the volumes of the auxiliary air chambers 5 are designed to be V, 1.5V, and 2V, respectively, to achieve different stiffness adjustment combinations. The airbag 1 is made of nitrile rubber composite material, which is resistant to aging and has good airtightness. The shell of the auxiliary air chamber 5 is made of 6061-T6 aluminum alloy, which is lightweight and has high strength.

[0031] The gas filling and discharging unit includes an air compressor 9 and an air storage tank 10. A gas interface 11 communicating with the inside of the main air chamber 4 is provided at the center of the top of the supporting top cover 2. A gas filling and discharging pipe 12 is connected to the gas interface 11, and the air compressor 9 is installed at the other end of the gas filling and discharging pipe 12. The air storage tank 10 is connected to the air compressor 9 through a pipe. The air storage tank 10 stores compressed gas to assist in pressure balance.

[0032] The control unit (ECU) is electrically connected to the solenoid valve 8 and the air compressor 9.

[0033] This application also includes a sensor unit connected to the control unit, including a load sensor, an acceleration sensor, an air pressure sensor, and a displacement sensor. The load sensor is installed at the connection point between the vehicle suspension system and the air spring, or at the contact point between the equipment's load-bearing structure and the air spring. Its function is to monitor the load on the air spring in real time. For example, in a vehicle, it can transmit load data to the control unit according to different states such as the vehicle being empty, carrying passengers, or carrying cargo. Based on this data, the control unit adjusts the number of auxiliary air chambers 5 opened by the solenoid valve 8 and controls the air compressor 9 to adjust the air pressure in the main air chamber 4, so that the air spring stiffness is adapted to the current load, ensuring vehicle smoothness and comfort. The acceleration sensor uses a MEMS triaxial accelerometer, fixed to the frame or equipment body near the air spring, to accurately measure the vibration acceleration at the location of the air spring. When the vehicle is driving on a bumpy road or the equipment is vibrating, the acceleration sensor quickly captures the vibration signal and transmits information such as vibration frequency and amplitude to the control unit. The control unit then controls the solenoid valve 8 and the air compressor 9 to change the air chamber connection state and air pressure. To improve the air spring's response speed to vibration, effectively suppress vibration transmission, and ensure stable equipment operation and passenger comfort, the air pressure sensor uses a piezoresistive or piezoelectric sensor, installed in the main air chamber 4 and each auxiliary air chamber 5 respectively. This sensor monitors the air pressure in each chamber in real time. By feeding back the air pressure data, the control unit can precisely regulate the charging and discharging operation of the air compressor 9, maintaining the air pressure in each chamber within the set range, ensuring stable air spring stiffness. Simultaneously, based on changes in air pressure in each chamber, the control unit can determine whether the connection between chambers is normal and whether there are any leaks, ensuring reliable operation of the air spring system. The displacement sensor uses an LVDT (Linear Variable Differential Transformer) or magnetostrictive displacement sensor, arranged between the airbag 1 and the supporting top cover 2 or piston assembly. This sensor measures the expansion and contraction displacement of the airbag 1. This displacement data reflects the degree of compression and extension of the air spring, helping the control unit understand the working state of the air spring. Combined with load, acceleration, and other sensor information, the control unit can more comprehensively evaluate the air spring performance, optimize the control strategy for the solenoid valve 8 and the air compressor 9, and achieve more precise stiffness adjustment.

[0034] Example 2:

[0035] like Figure 3 , 4 As shown, this utility model discloses another technical solution, a multi-cavity variable stiffness air spring structure, which differs from embodiment 1 in that the piston assembly includes a piston body 3, and the piston body 3 has a piston cavity 13 inside. The piston cavity 13 can buffer the gas flow and reduce the impact peak. The upper end of the piston cavity 13 is connected to the main air chamber 4. The piston body 3 has a cavity air chamber 14 at the bottom center. The cavity air chamber 14 includes a hollow cavity 15. The top center of the cavity 15 has a through hole 16 that communicates with the main air chamber 4.

[0036] Specifically, the sidewall of the cavity 15 is provided with several vertical through slots 17 evenly along its axis. In this embodiment, three through slots 17 are provided. The cavity air chamber 14 is connected to the piston cavity 13 through the through slots 17, which provides a more reasonable flow path and buffer space for the gas, and improves the shock absorption efficiency and stability of the air spring.

[0037] In this application, the control unit (ECU) is electrically connected to the solenoid valve 8, the air compressor 9, and the load sensor, acceleration sensor, air pressure sensor, and displacement sensor. The ECU controls the operation of the solenoid valve 8 and the air compressor 9 based on the information fed back by the load sensor, acceleration sensor, air pressure sensor, and displacement sensor. The specific model, algorithm, and circuit connection method are not within the protection scope of this application, and can be derived or deduced by those skilled in the art through conventional technical means, so they will not be described here.

[0038] The present invention provides a multi-cavity variable stiffness air spring structure, the working process of which is as follows:

[0039] 1. No-load condition

[0040] When the air spring is in no-load condition, the control unit receives the corresponding signal (such as the no-load signal detected by the load sensor) and closes all solenoid valves 8 according to the preset program algorithm. At this time, only the main air chamber 4 participates in the work. The air compressor 9 adjusts the air pressure in the main air chamber 4 to the air pressure value corresponding to the low stiffness mode according to the command of the control unit. In this state, the stiffness of the air spring is low, which can provide better comfort and meet the requirements of shock absorption performance when no load.

[0041] 2. Medium-load operating conditions

[0042] When the vehicle is detected to be under medium load, the control unit opens the solenoid valve 8 corresponding to the auxiliary air chamber 5 with a volume of V. The main air chamber 4 and the auxiliary air chamber 5 are connected through the connecting channel 6. Under the action of pressure difference, the gas flows slowly through the damping hole 7, so that the air pressure of the two air chambers gradually balances. At the same time, the air compressor 9 cooperates to adjust the air pressure in the main air chamber 4 to achieve medium stiffness mode. In medium stiffness mode, the air spring can better cope with the vibration and impact under medium load and provide a moderate shock absorption effect.

[0043] 3. Heavy-duty working conditions

[0044] When faced with heavy load conditions, the control unit opens the solenoid valves 8 corresponding to the auxiliary air chambers 5 with volumes of V and 1.5V. At this time, the main air chamber 4 is connected to the two auxiliary air chambers 5 simultaneously, the total volume of the air chambers increases, and the gas flows and distributes more widely between the air chambers. The air compressor 9 increases the air pressure in the main air chamber 4, so that the air spring reaches a high stiffness mode to cope with the large load and strong vibration under heavy load, and to ensure the stability and safety of the vehicle.

[0045] The above are all preferred embodiments of this application, and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of this application. Therefore, all equivalent changes made in accordance with the structure, shape and principle of this application should be covered within the scope of protection of this application.

Claims

1. A multi-cavity variable stiffness air spring structure, characterized in that, The air spring structure includes: Airbag (1), the top and bottom of the airbag (1) are respectively connected to a supporting top cover (2) and a piston assembly, and the interior of the airbag (1) is a main air chamber (4). At least two auxiliary gas chambers (5) are distributed outside the main gas chamber (4), and each auxiliary gas chamber (5) is connected to the main gas chamber (4) through an independent connecting channel (6). A damping hole (7) and a solenoid valve (8) are sequentially provided on the connecting channel (6). The gas filling and discharging unit includes an air compressor (9) and an air storage tank (10). The top center of the supporting top cover (2) is provided with a gas interface (11) that communicates with the interior of the main air chamber (4). A gas filling and discharging pipe (12) is connected to the gas interface (11), and the air compressor (9) is installed at the other end of the gas filling and discharging pipe (12). The air storage tank (10) is connected to the air compressor (9) through a pipe. The control unit is electrically connected to the solenoid valve (8) and the air compressor (9).

2. The multi-cavity variable stiffness air spring structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: The number of auxiliary gas chambers (5) is 2-4, and their volumes are designed in a gradient manner.

3. The multi-cavity variable stiffness air spring structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: The piston assembly includes a piston body (3), and the piston body (3) has a piston cavity (13) inside, the upper end of which is connected to the main air chamber (4).

4. The multi-cavity variable stiffness air spring structure according to claim 3, characterized in that: The piston body (3) has a cavity (14) at the bottom center. The cavity (14) includes a hollow cavity (15) and a through hole (16) communicating with the main air chamber (4) is opened at the top of the cavity (15).

5. The multi-cavity variable stiffness air spring structure according to claim 4, characterized in that: The sidewall of the cavity (15) is provided with several through slots (17) evenly distributed along its axis, and the cavity air chamber (14) is connected to the piston cavity (13) through the through slots (17).

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