A multi-link front air suspension for heavy-duty trucks

Abstract

This utility model relates to the field of suspension technology and provides a multi-link front air suspension for heavy-duty trucks. It includes an axle, a frame, two shock absorbers, a stabilizer bar, and two air springs. The stabilizer bar has a U-shaped structure, with each end of the stabilizer bar's crossbar connected to an airbag base via a bracket assembly. The airbag base has a Y-shaped structure, including a thrust rod portion and an airbag portion. The airbag portion is positioned above the stabilizer bar, and an air spring is fixed to the top of the airbag portion via an airbag disc. The thrust rod portion has a concave arc-shaped structure and is located on the side closest to the stabilizer bar's suspension rod. The thrust rod portion of each airbag base is connected to a longitudinal thrust rod front bracket via two parallel longitudinal thrust rods. The top and upper sidewall of the longitudinal thrust rod front bracket are fixed to the frame with bolts. This design enables the structural components to work synergistically, achieving coordinated transmission of multi-directional forces, dispersing the load on the suspension system, and reducing anti-roll forces.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of suspension technology, specifically to a multi-link front air suspension for heavy trucks. Background Technology

[0002] As a core component of the vehicle chassis, the suspension system plays a crucial role in transmitting forces between the wheels and the frame, buffering road impacts, and ensuring vehicle ride comfort and handling stability. Based on the type of elastic element, suspensions are mainly classified into leaf spring suspensions, coil spring suspensions, torsion bar spring suspensions, and air suspensions. Among these, air suspensions, with their adjustable stiffness, strong adaptability, and high comfort, are gradually becoming the preferred solution for high-end commercial vehicles and buses.

[0003] However, in the heavy-duty truck sector, especially in front suspension systems, leaf springs or coil springs are still commonly used. While these are lower in cost, they have shortcomings in terms of comfort and handling: leaf spring suspensions rely on the elastic deformation of metal laminations to absorb vibrations, resulting in high inherent stiffness. This causes road impacts to be directly transmitted to the chassis, and their low-frequency vibration damping capability is poor, leading to insufficient driving comfort. Coil spring suspensions, while improving vertical vibration, have low roll stiffness, resulting in large body roll angles during high-speed cornering, affecting handling stability. Furthermore, they cannot dynamically adjust stiffness according to load, leading to significant performance differences between unloaded and fully loaded conditions. Heavy-duty trucks often travel on unpaved roads and mountainous terrain, placing extremely high demands on the suspension system's impact resistance, torsional stiffness, and dynamic adjustment capabilities. Therefore, developing a front air suspension that can ensure operational stability while significantly improving driving comfort has become a crucial issue that the heavy-duty truck industry urgently needs to address. Utility Model Content

[0004] To address the problems existing in the background technology, this utility model proposes a multi-link front air suspension for heavy trucks, which enables the various structural components to work together, realizes the coordinated transmission of multi-directional forces, enhances the overall rigidity and stability of the suspension system, disperses the load borne by the suspension system and reduces anti-rolling forces, while reducing manufacturing costs, and provides a feasible solution for the performance upgrade of the front suspension of heavy trucks.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, this utility model adopts the following solution: It includes an axle, a frame, two shock absorbers, a lateral stabilizer bar, and two air springs. The lateral stabilizer bar has a U-shaped structure. The front ends of the two longitudinal bars of the lateral stabilizer bar are connected to the left and right sides of the frame via stabilizer bar hangers. The horizontal bar of the lateral stabilizer bar is arranged along the width direction of the frame. Each end of the horizontal bar is connected to an airbag base via a bracket assembly. The airbag base has a Y-shaped structure, including a thrust rod portion and an airbag portion arranged along the longitudinal direction of the lateral stabilizer bar. Each airbag base's airbag portion is connected to an air spring and a shock absorber. One of the airbag bases' airbag portions is also connected to a lateral thrust rod. Each airbag base's thrust rod portion is connected to a longitudinal thrust rod front bracket via two parallel longitudinal thrust rods. The longitudinal thrust rod front bracket is fixed to the frame. The thrust rod portion has a concave arc-shaped structure, with the arc-shaped structure located on the side of the thrust rod portion closest to the stabilizer bar hanger. The bottom of the airbag portion is connected to the axle.

[0006] Preferably, the bracket assembly is located at the bottom of the airbag base. The bracket assembly includes an upper bracket, an end cap, a thrust ring, and a rubber bushing. The rubber bushing and the thrust ring are sleeved on the crossbar of the lateral stabilizer bar. The rubber bushing is located between the thrust ring and the vertical bar of the lateral stabilizer bar. The upper bracket and the end cap form a circumferential sleeve structure and are sleeved on the rubber bushing. The circumferential sleeve structure fixes the airbag base to the lateral stabilizer bar with bolts. The upper bracket is also connected to the axle with bolts.

[0007] Preferably, the side of the thrust rod near the front support of the longitudinal thrust rod has an H-shaped structure. The H-shaped structure includes an upper groove and a lower groove. Each of the upper groove and the lower groove is hinged to one end of one of the longitudinal thrust rods, and the other end of the longitudinal thrust rod is hinged to the front support of the longitudinal thrust rod.

[0008] Preferably, the bottom end of the shock absorber is connected to the outer wall of the thrust rod, and the top end of the shock absorber is connected to the vehicle frame through a shock absorber bracket.

[0009] Preferably, the top and upper sidewall of the longitudinal thrust rod front bracket are fixed to the vehicle frame by bolts.

[0010] Preferably, the bottom end of the stabilizer bar hanger is hinged to the longitudinal bar of the transverse stabilizer bar and is vertically positioned above it, and the top of the stabilizer bar hanger is hinged to a stabilizer bar hanger support, which is fixed to the vehicle frame.

[0011] Preferably, the lateral thrust rod is arranged along the width direction of the vehicle frame, one end of the lateral thrust rod is connected to the airbag part through a connector, and the other end of the lateral thrust rod is fixed to the vehicle frame through a lateral thrust rod bracket.

[0012] Preferably, the air spring is fixed to the top of the airbag via an airbag disc, and the top of the air spring is fixed to the vehicle frame via an upper bracket on the airbag.

[0013] The beneficial effects of this utility model are as follows:

[0014] (1) In this design, the two airbag bases connect the lateral stabilizer bar, two air springs, two shock absorbers, and the longitudinal thrust rod through a deformed Y-shaped structure. Furthermore, one of the airbag bases is also connected to the lateral thrust rod, enabling the structural components to work synergistically and achieving multi-directional force transmission, thus enhancing the overall rigidity and stability of the suspension system. The arc-shaped structure of the thrust rod integrates the force paths of the longitudinal thrust rod and the lateral stabilizer bar, reducing local stress concentration. The airbag section is arranged perpendicularly to the air springs, avoiding interference with the steering mechanism and simultaneously reducing the overall suspension height to meet the compact space requirements of heavy-duty truck front axles.

[0015] (2) The front support of the thrust rod is connected to the frame and the longitudinal thrust rod, providing a stable support point for the longitudinal thrust rod, reducing longitudinal tilt, and effectively transferring the force from the axle to the frame.

[0016] (3) The stabilizer bar hanger support is located close to the air spring. When the vehicle tilts, the air spring and the lateral stabilizer bar assembly form a reaction force, which reduces the torsion of the frame by the tilt force, reduces the stress concentration of the frame, and improves the service life of the frame.

[0017] Therefore, the suspension structure, through the coordinated work of the U-shaped lateral stabilizer bar, Y-shaped airbag base, dual longitudinal thrust bars and shock absorbers, achieves efficient transmission of multi-dimensional torque and stress dispersion, significantly improving the handling stability, driving comfort and structural durability of heavy trucks. Attached Figure Description

[0018] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the multi-link front air suspension of this utility model. Figure 1 ;

[0019] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the force transmission structure of the multi-link front air suspension of this utility model. Figure 1 ;

[0020] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the force transmission structure of the multi-link front air suspension of this utility model. Figure 2 ;

[0021] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the lateral stabilizer bar in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0022] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the airbag base structure in an embodiment of the present utility model;

[0023] Figure 6 This is an exploded view of the support assembly in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0024] The following are the labeling elements in the diagram: 1. Axle; 2. Frame; 3. Shock absorber; 4. Lateral stabilizer bar; 5. Air spring; 6. Front support for longitudinal thrust bar; 7. Support assembly; 701. Upper support; 702. End cap; 703. Thrust ring; 704. Rubber bushing; 8. Airbag base; 801. Thrust bar section; 802. Airbag section; 803. Upper groove; 804. Lower groove; 9. Airbag disc; 10. Longitudinal thrust bar; 11. Stabilizer bar hanger; 12. Shock absorber bracket; 13. Stabilizer bar hanger support; 14. Connector; 15. Upper airbag support; 16. Lateral thrust bar. Detailed Implementation

[0025] To make this utility model clearer and more understandable, the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments is provided in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. It should be understood that the given embodiments are merely one implementation method and do not represent all embodiments.

[0026] Example 1

[0027] Combination Figures 1-6 This embodiment provides a multi-link front air suspension for heavy-duty trucks, including an axle 1, a frame 2, two shock absorbers 3, a stabilizer bar 4, and two air springs 5. The stabilizer bar 4 has a U-shaped structure. The front ends of the two longitudinal bars of the stabilizer bar 4 are respectively connected to the left and right sides of the frame 2 via stabilizer bar hangers 11. The crossbar of the stabilizer bar 4 is arranged along the width direction of the frame 2. The left and right ends of the crossbar of the stabilizer bar 4 are respectively connected to an airbag base 8 via a bracket assembly 7. The airbag base 8 has a Y-shaped structure, including a thrust rod 801 arranged along the longitudinal direction of the stabilizer bar 4 and an air spring 5. Each airbag base 8 has an airbag section 802, which is connected to an air spring 5 and a shock absorber 3. One of the airbag base 8's airbag sections 802 is also connected to a transverse thrust rod 16. Each airbag base 8's thrust rod section 801 is connected to a longitudinal thrust rod front bracket 6 via two parallel longitudinal thrust rods 10. The longitudinal thrust rod front bracket 6 is fixed to the vehicle frame 2. The thrust rod section 801 has a concave arc-shaped structure, and the arc-shaped structure is located on the side of the thrust rod section 801 near the stabilizer bar 11. The bottom of the airbag section 802 is connected to the axle 1.

[0028] In this embodiment, two airbag bases 8 connect the lateral stabilizer bar 4, two air springs 5, two shock absorbers 3, and longitudinal thrust rod 10 through a deformed Y-shaped structure. Furthermore, one of the airbag bases 8 is also connected to the lateral thrust rod, enabling the structural components to work synergistically and achieving multi-directional force transmission, thus enhancing the overall rigidity and stability of the suspension system. The arc-shaped structure of the thrust rod section 801 integrates the force paths of the longitudinal thrust rod 10 and the lateral stabilizer bar 4, reducing local stress concentration. The airbag section 802 is arranged perpendicularly to the air springs 5, avoiding interference with the steering mechanism and simultaneously reducing the overall suspension height to meet the compact space requirements of heavy-duty truck front axles. The front support of the thrust rod is connected to the frame 2 and the longitudinal thrust rod 10, and the airbag base 8 is connected to the axle, providing a stable support point for the longitudinal thrust rod 10, reducing longitudinal tilt, and effectively transferring the force from the axle 1 to the frame 2. Its structure can distribute the force on the frame 2, reduce stress concentration, and the dual longitudinal thrust rods 10 form a redundant force transmission path, dispersing the longitudinal force to different areas of the frame 2, reducing the risk of single-point force.

[0029] Specifically, the bracket assembly 7 is located at the bottom of the airbag base 8. The bracket assembly 7 includes an upper bracket 701, an end cap 702, a thrust ring 703, and a rubber bushing 704. The rubber bushing 704 and the thrust ring 703 are sleeved on the crossbar of the lateral stabilizer bar 4. The rubber bushing 704 is located between the thrust ring 703 and the vertical bar of the lateral stabilizer bar 4. The upper bracket 701 and the end cap 702 form a circumferential sleeve structure, which is sleeved on the rubber bushing 704. The circumferential sleeve structure fixes the airbag base 8 to the lateral stabilizer bar 4 with bolts. The upper bracket 701 is also connected to the axle 1 with bolts. The thrust ring 703 prevents lateral displacement of the lateral stabilizer bar 4, which would affect the clearance between the stabilizer bar suspension rod 11 and the wheel. The rubber bushing 704 converts the impact force transmitted from the axle 1 into elastic deformation, reducing the vibration amplitude transmitted to the frame 2. The bracket assembly 7 significantly improves the vibration isolation capability and connection reliability of the suspension system, while optimizing anti-roll performance, providing key support for the efficient operation of the front suspension of heavy-duty trucks.

[0030] Specifically, the thrust rod portion 801 has an H-shaped structure on the side near the longitudinal thrust rod front support 6. The H-shaped structure includes an upper groove 803 and a lower groove 804. Each of the upper groove 803 and the lower groove 804 is hinged to one end of one of the longitudinal thrust rods 10, and the other end of the longitudinal thrust rod 10 is hinged to the longitudinal thrust rod front support 6.

[0031] Specifically, the bottom end of the shock absorber 3 is connected to the outer wall of the thrust rod portion 801, and the top end of the shock absorber 3 is connected to the vehicle frame 2 via the shock absorber bracket 12. The shock absorber 3 is positioned close to the axle 1 and the air spring base 8. The damping force, optimized by the lever ratio, dynamically adapts to the air spring 5, improving vibration damping efficiency. The shock absorber 3 is selected based on parameters such as the damper lever ratio and the damper angle, calculated to determine its damping force.

[0032] Specifically, the top and upper sidewall of the longitudinal thrust rod front bracket 6 are fixed to the frame 2 by bolts. This embodiment focuses on the spacing of multiple bolts at the top of the longitudinal thrust rod front bracket 6. During simulation design, stress concentration occurred in this area; therefore, an offset hole design was used to disperse the force on the frame 2, reducing stress concentration and improving the structural rigidity of the frame 2. Because the longitudinal thrust rod front bracket 6 has a complex structure, it is manufactured using a casting process. Its structural design allows the left and right symmetrical parts to be cast using the same set of molds, saving processing costs.

[0033] Specifically, the bottom end of the stabilizer bar hanger 11 is hinged to the longitudinal bar of the transverse stabilizer bar 4 and vertically positioned above it. A stabilizer bar hanger support 13 is hinged to the top of the stabilizer bar hanger 11, and the stabilizer bar hanger support 13 is fixed to the vehicle frame 2. The stabilizer bar hanger support 13 is positioned close to the air spring 5. When the vehicle tilts, the air spring 5 and the transverse stabilizer bar 4 assembly generate a reaction force, reducing the torsional force on the vehicle frame 2, alleviating stress concentration on the vehicle frame 2, and improving the service life of the vehicle frame 2.

[0034] Specifically, the lateral thrust rod is arranged along the width direction of the frame 2. One end of the lateral thrust rod is connected to the airbag part 802 via the connector 14, and the other end of the lateral thrust rod is fixed to the frame 2 via the upper bracket 701 of the lateral thrust rod. The connection of one end to the airbag part 802 allows the lateral thrust rod to move synchronously with the height adjustment of the air spring 5, avoiding deviation of the force transmission path caused by the lifting and lowering of the suspension.

[0035] Specifically, the air spring 5 is fixed to the top of the airbag section 802 via the airbag disc 9, and the top of the air spring 5 is fixed to the vehicle frame 2 via the airbag upper bracket 15. The matching selection of the air spring 5 is obtained by calculating the sprung mass, leverage ratio, vertical travel, and target deflection frequency.

[0036] The suspension structure, through the coordinated operation of the U-shaped lateral stabilizer bar 4, the Y-shaped airbag base 8, the dual longitudinal thrust bars 10, and the shock absorber 3, achieves efficient transmission of multi-dimensional torque and stress dispersion, significantly improving the handling stability, driving comfort, and structural durability of heavy-duty trucks.

[0037] The specific embodiments of this utility model have been described in detail above with reference to the figures, but this utility model is not limited to the described embodiments. For those skilled in the art, various changes, modifications, substitutions, and variations can be made to these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of this utility model, and these variations still fall within the protection scope of this utility model.

Claims

1. A multi-link front air suspension for heavy-duty trucks, comprising an axle (1), a frame (2), two shock absorbers (3), a stabilizer bar (4), and two air springs (5), characterized in that: The lateral stabilizer bar (4) has a U-shaped structure. The front ends of the two longitudinal bars of the lateral stabilizer bar (4) are connected to the left and right sides of the frame (2) respectively through stabilizer bar hangers (11). The horizontal bar of the lateral stabilizer bar (4) is set along the width direction of the frame (2). The left and right ends of the horizontal bar of the lateral stabilizer bar (4) are respectively connected to an airbag base (8) through a bracket assembly (7). The airbag base (8) has a Y-shaped structure, including a thrust rod part (801) and an airbag part (802) set along the longitudinal direction of the lateral stabilizer bar (4). Each airbag part (802) of each airbag base (8) is connected to one The air spring (5) and shock absorber (3) are connected to a transverse thrust rod (16) in the air spring (5) and the shock absorber (3). The thrust rod part (801) of each air spring (8) is connected to a longitudinal thrust rod front bracket (6) through two parallel longitudinal thrust rods (10). The longitudinal thrust rod front bracket (6) is fixed to the vehicle frame (2). The thrust rod part (801) has a concave arc structure and the arc structure is located on the side of the thrust rod part (801) close to the stabilizer rod (11). The bottom of the air spring part (802) is connected to the axle (1).

2. The multi-link front air suspension for heavy-duty trucks according to claim 1, characterized in that: The bracket assembly (7) is located at the bottom of the airbag base (8). The bracket assembly (7) includes an upper bracket (701), an end cap (702), a thrust ring (703), and a rubber bushing (704). The rubber bushing (704) and the thrust ring (703) are sleeved on the crossbar of the transverse stabilizer bar (4). The rubber bushing (704) is located between the thrust ring (703) and the vertical bar of the transverse stabilizer bar (4). The upper bracket (701) and the end cap (702) form a circumferential sleeve structure and are sleeved on the rubber bushing (704). The circumferential sleeve structure fixes the airbag base (8) to the transverse stabilizer bar (4) with bolts. The upper bracket (701) is also connected to the axle (1) with bolts.

3. A multi-link front air suspension for heavy-duty trucks according to claim 1, characterized in that: The thrust rod part (801) has an H-shaped structure on the side near the longitudinal thrust rod front support (6). The H-shaped structure includes an upper groove (803) and a lower groove (804). The upper groove (803) and the lower groove (804) are each hinged to one end of one of the longitudinal thrust rods (10). The other end of the longitudinal thrust rod (10) is hinged to the longitudinal thrust rod front support (6).

4. A multi-link front air suspension for heavy-duty trucks according to claim 1, characterized in that: The bottom end of the shock absorber (3) is connected to the outer wall of the thrust rod (801), and the top end of the shock absorber (3) is connected to the frame (2) through the shock absorber bracket (12).

5. A multi-link front air suspension for heavy-duty trucks according to claim 1, characterized in that: The top and upper sidewall of the longitudinal thrust rod front bracket (6) are fixed to the frame (2) by bolts.

6. A multi-link front air suspension for heavy-duty trucks according to claim 1, characterized in that: The bottom end of the stabilizer bar (11) is hinged to the longitudinal bar of the transverse stabilizer bar (4) and is vertically positioned above it. The top of the stabilizer bar (11) is hinged to a stabilizer bar support (13), and the stabilizer bar support (13) is fixed to the vehicle frame (2).

7. A multi-link front air suspension for heavy-duty trucks according to claim 1, characterized in that: The lateral thrust rod is arranged along the width direction of the frame (2). One end of the lateral thrust rod is connected to the airbag part (802) through the connector (14), and the other end of the lateral thrust rod is fixed to the frame (2) through the upper bracket (701) of the lateral thrust rod.

8. A multi-link front air suspension for heavy-duty trucks according to claim 1, characterized in that: The air spring (5) is fixed to the top of the airbag part (802) by the airbag disc (9), and the top of the air spring (5) is fixed to the vehicle frame (2) by the airbag upper bracket (15).

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