An amphibious vehicle having a suspension arrangement
By using an inflatable suspension device and a folding frame structure, the problem of insufficient stability of amphibious vehicles on water and the impact on land driving has been solved, enabling flexible adaptation and efficient driving in different scenarios.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Utility models(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- ZHEJIANG XIBEIHU SPECIAL VEHICLE
- Filing Date
- 2025-06-11
- Publication Date
- 2026-06-16
AI Technical Summary
Existing amphibious vehicles lack stability when fully loaded on water, and the suspension system increases the overall size of the vehicle and adds extra load, affecting its performance on land.
The design incorporates an inflatable suspension system that connects to the vehicle body via an air source. The system's inflation or deflation can be adjusted according to the application scenario, flexibly managing its space requirements. Rubber airbags and a folding frame structure ensure stability and compactness.
It provides strong buoyancy and stability on water, reduces space occupation on land, and improves the vehicle's adaptability and driving efficiency in different scenarios.
Smart Images
Figure CN224360939U_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This utility model relates to an amphibious vehicle, and more specifically, to an amphibious vehicle with a suspension device. Background Technology
[0002] Existing amphibious vehicles, when fully loaded, lack stability on water, making them prone to tipping over and other dangerous situations. To address this, some amphibious vehicle manufacturers have improved the design by incorporating suspension systems into the vehicle body, enhancing its balance in water. However, these suspension systems often increase the overall size and additional load of the vehicle, affecting its normal operation on land. For example, utility model patent CN220562492U discloses an amphibious tracked vehicle with floats mounted on opposite sides of its cargo box, allowing it to float on water. As mentioned earlier, in this utility model, the floats are fixed in shape and size, increasing the overall size and additional load of the vehicle. Utility Model Content
[0003] Existing amphibious vehicles with suspension devices increase the overall size and load of the vehicle due to the presence of the suspension device, which is not conducive to normal driving on land. To overcome this drawback, this utility model provides an amphibious vehicle with a suspension device that can flexibly adjust the space occupied by the suspension device according to the application scenario, so as to better adapt to different application scenarios.
[0004] The technical solution of this utility model is: an amphibious vehicle with a levitation device, including a vehicle body, on which an inflatable levitation device is installed, and the levitation device is connected to an air source located on the vehicle body. The inflatable levitation device allows the vehicle to flexibly adjust its occupied space by controlling the inflation or deflation of the levitation device according to the actual application scenario. When traveling on water, inflating the levitation device increases the vehicle's buoyancy and stability; when traveling on land, deflating the levitation device reduces its impact on vehicle movement, thus better adapting to the needs of different water and land scenarios. The connection between the levitation device and the air source on the vehicle body facilitates convenient and quick inflation and deflation of the levitation device, eliminating the need for additional complex equipment or manual handling of the air source, improving resource utilization efficiency and enhancing the ease of switching the levitation device's state. Preferably, the vehicle body is equipped with a suspension device bracket, which includes a folding bracket. The folding bracket comprises a fixed rod and a movable rod. The fixed rod is fixed to the suspension device bracket, and one end of the movable rod is hinged to the fixed rod, while the other end is connected to the suspension device. The suspension device bracket provides a stable mounting base for the suspension device, ensuring that it will not loosen or shift during vehicle operation. The folding bracket design, through the hinged structure of the fixed and movable rods, allows the suspension device to undergo regular spatial changes during expansion and contraction, providing corresponding adaptive space for the expansion and contraction of the suspension device. This satisfies the ample space requirement when the suspension device expands while making the space more compact when the suspension device is contracted.
[0005] Preferably, the movable rod is provided with a sliding groove, and a connecting rod is also connected between the fixed rod and the movable rod. One end of the connecting rod is hinged to the fixed rod, and the other end is slidably connected in the sliding groove. The connecting rod slides in the sliding groove, guiding the movable rod to move along a predetermined trajectory, ensuring the smoothness and stability of the unfolding and folding process of the folding corner frame.
[0006] Preferably, the suspension device is an airbag made of rubber. Rubber material has good flexibility, allowing the airbag to easily deform during inflation and deflation, adapting to different spatial requirements. Simultaneously, rubber itself has good sealing properties, effectively preventing gas leakage and ensuring that the suspension device maintains sufficient buoyancy during prolonged use in water, providing stable support for the vehicle. Rubber is a common and relatively low-cost material; using rubber to make airbags reduces manufacturing costs while maintaining performance. Furthermore, rubber has certain wear resistance and corrosion resistance, enabling prolonged use in both aquatic and terrestrial environments, extending the service life of the suspension device and improving the product's cost-effectiveness.
[0007] Preferably, the airbag has a pair of tightening tabs fixed to it, with a zipper between the tightening tabs. After the suspension system deflates and contracts, pulling the zipper causes the pair of tightening tabs to further tighten the airbag, which can minimize the space occupied by the airbag, making the vehicle more compact when driving on land, and reducing the impact of the suspension system on the vehicle's driving performance, such as reducing wind resistance and reducing energy consumption.
[0008] Preferably, the suspension devices are symmetrically arranged on both sides of the vehicle body. This symmetrical arrangement provides a uniform buoyancy distribution in water, effectively preventing rollovers and other instability while driving in water. It significantly enhances the vehicle's balance in water, ensuring safety and stability during water travel. The uniform buoyancy distribution also optimizes the vehicle's handling performance in water, allowing the driver to more easily control the vehicle's direction and speed, improving maneuverability in aquatic environments. When driving on land, the symmetrical structure does not adversely affect the vehicle's center of gravity distribution, ensuring normal driving stability on land.
[0009] Preferably, the air source is an air pump, which is fixed to the vehicle body. The air pump, mounted on the vehicle body, allows for direct control by the operator inside the vehicle. Inflating and deflating the suspension device can be achieved through simple operation, eliminating the need for additional external equipment or complex procedures, thus improving convenience and efficiency, and is particularly suitable for situations requiring rapid switching between driving scenarios.
[0010] Alternatively, the air source can be the vehicle's engine. Using the vehicle's engine as the air source, and the exhaust gas as the working medium, fully utilizes the energy generated during engine operation, eliminating the need for additional energy consumption to inflate the suspension system. This achieves high energy efficiency and reduces the vehicle's overall energy consumption. Furthermore, compared to using a separate air pump as the air source, using the engine reduces the number of devices on the vehicle, simplifying the overall air supply system structure of the suspension system.
[0011] The beneficial effects of this utility model are:
[0012] To better adapt to different application scenarios, this utility model can flexibly adjust the space occupied by the levitation device according to the application scenario. When swimming in water, the levitation device can be fully expanded and the surrounding related devices can be fully deployed to obtain maximum buoyancy. When traveling on land, the levitation device and related devices can be retracted as much as possible to reduce space occupation, thus better adapting to different application scenarios.
[0013] This invention enhances a vehicle's ability to maintain balance in water. It incorporates a suspension device that increases the vehicle's overall lateral dimensions and side buoyancy support, resulting in better balance in the water.
[0014] The vehicle is easy to switch between operating modes. This invention changes the space occupied by the suspension device and related devices by inflating and deflating the air, eliminating the need for frequent disassembly and reassembly, and thus improving the efficiency of switching between vehicle operating modes in water and on land. Attached Figure Description
[0015] Figure 1This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the present invention in the expanded state of the suspension device.
[0016] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the present invention in the contracted state of the suspension device.
[0017] Figure 3 This is a side view of the present invention in the expanded state of the levitation device.
[0018] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of an installation structure of the suspension device on the suspension device bracket in this utility model.
[0019] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of one structure of the suspension device bracket in this utility model.
[0020] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of one structure of the folding corner frame in this utility model.
[0021] In the diagram, 1-vehicle body, 2-suspension device bracket, 3-folding angle bracket, 301-fixed rod, 302-moving rod, 303-slide groove, 304-connecting rod, 305-connecting plate, 4-airbag, 5-tightening plate, 6-zipper, 7-suspending beam, 8-elastic band. Detailed Implementation
[0022] The present invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments.
[0023] Example 1:
[0024] like Figures 1 to 6As shown, an amphibious vehicle with a suspension device includes a vehicle body 1 and a suspension device. The suspension device is mounted on the vehicle body 1. The vehicle body 1 is equipped with an air source, which is connected to the suspension device for inflating it. Suspension device brackets 2 are symmetrically arranged on both sides of the vehicle body 1. Each suspension device bracket 2 has a vertical surface and four folding brackets 3 are evenly distributed along the axial direction on it. Each folding bracket 3 includes a fixed rod 301, a movable rod 302, and a connecting rod 304. The cross-sections of both the fixed rod 301 and the movable rod 302 are U-shaped. Both the fixed rod 301 and the movable rod 302 are bent from steel plates, forming side panels on both sides and a bottom panel between the side panels. The fixed rod 301 is installed vertically, and its bottom panel is attached to the vertical surface of the suspension device bracket 2 and fixed with bolts. One end of the movable rod 302 is hinged to the bottom end of the fixed rod 301, and a connecting plate 305 is welded to the other end of the movable rod 302. The movable rod 302 has sliding grooves 303 on its two side plates. The connecting rod 304 is connected between the fixed rod 301 and the movable rod 302. One end of the connecting rod 304 is hinged to the bottom end of the fixed rod 301, and the other end of the connecting rod 304 is connected to the sliding groove 303 through a pin, so that the end of the connecting rod 304 can slide along the sliding groove 303. The connecting rod 304 cooperates with the sliding groove 303 to constrain the movable rod 302 to rotate around the bottom end of the fixed rod 301, forming an angle of 15 to 90 degrees with the fixed rod 301.
[0025] The suspension device is a rubber airbag 4, which is cylindrical with conical ends. The surface of the airbag 4 is coated to increase its wear resistance and tear resistance, adapting to complex rescue environments. A suspension beam 7 is located at the top of the airbag 4, and is bolted to a connecting plate 305. An elastic band 8, also made of rubber, is bonded to the circumference of the airbag 4. The elastic band 8 breaks at the top of the airbag 4 to form two ends, which are bonded to the suspension beam 7. A pair of tightening tabs 5, made of durable nylon fabric, are bonded to the airbag 4. A zipper 6 extends along the length of the airbag 4 between the tightening tabs 5. When the airbag 4 deflates and contracts to its minimum volume, the zipper 6 can be closed, and at this point, the zipper 6 is positioned on the outside of the airbag 4 for easy operation. The air source is a 300W air pump, which is fixed to the rear of the vehicle body 1. The air pump is connected to the airbag via a high-strength rubber hose with an inner diameter of 20 mm to ensure rapid inflation of the airbag 4. The air pump is powered by the vehicle body 1's electrical system and is equipped with an overload protection device to prevent damage due to prolonged operation or excessive current.
[0026] In scenarios involving flood relief, river crossings, and other water-crossing operations, when a vehicle needs to enter the water, the operator first prepares by unzipping the zipper 7 to release and deflate the retracted airbag 4; pulling down the movable rod 302, which rotates around the hinge point on the fixed rod 301, causing the connecting rod 304 to slide within the groove 303. The angle between the movable rod 302 and the fixed rod 301 gradually increases until it reaches 90°, and the folding bracket 3 fully unfolds, providing sufficient space for the airbag 4 to inflate. After these preparations are completed, the air pump is started, quickly filling the airbag 4 with gas. When the airbag 4 is fully inflated, the suspension device reaches its maximum volume, providing maximum buoyancy. At this point, the airbags 4 on both sides of the vehicle body 1 increase the overall lateral dimension, providing strong buoyancy support for the vehicle in the water. The symmetrical layout of the suspension device on both sides of the vehicle body 1 ensures a balanced distribution of buoyancy, enhancing the vehicle's stability and ensuring that the vehicle remains balanced even in turbulent water, allowing for safe operations such as transporting personnel or supplies. When the task is completed and the vehicle needs to return to land, the operator opens the deflation valve on the airbag 4, gradually releasing the gas inside. The airbag 4 gradually contracts, and when it reaches its smallest size, the operator moves the movable rod 302 towards the fixed rod 301 and flips it over until the folding bracket 3 is completely folded. Then, the movable rod 302 is secured to the fixed rod 301 with cable ties to maintain the folded state, or the folded state is maintained by the locking structure between the movable rod 302 and the fixed rod 301. Finally, the operator pulls the zipper 6, causing the tightening plate 5 to further tighten the deflated airbag 4, reducing its space occupation. At this point, the suspension device is close to the vehicle body, and the vehicle returns to a more compact state, facilitating rapid travel on land.
[0027] Example 2:
[0028] An amphibious vehicle with a suspension system includes a vehicle body 1 and a suspension system. The suspension system is mounted on the vehicle body 1, and an air source connected to the suspension system is provided on the vehicle body 1 for inflating the suspension system. Suspension system brackets 2 are symmetrically arranged on both sides of the vehicle body 1. Each suspension system bracket 2 has a vertical surface and four hanging rods evenly distributed along its axial direction. One end of each hanging rod is fixed to the vertical surface of the suspension system bracket 2 via a flange, and the other end of each hanging rod is welded to a connecting plate. The suspension system brackets 2 are rotatably connected to the vehicle body 1 via a rotating shaft, which is also connected to a bracket tilting motor. Driven by this motor, the suspension system brackets 2 can tilt and swing within a 150° angle range. When the suspension system is needed, the suspension system brackets 2 swing with the suspension system to the side of the vehicle body 1; when the suspension system is not needed, the suspension system brackets 2 swing with the suspension system back into the vehicle body 1.
[0029] The suspension device is a bellows-type telescopic float, comprising ten rings and a folding skin sleeve fitted over the rings. The folding skin sleeve is a closed, straight, pocket-shaped soft component made of waterproof fabric. The ten rings are coaxially and equally spaced within the folding skin sleeve, with the circumference of the rings tightly bonded to the inner surface of the folding skin sleeve. The folding skin sleeve is similar in structure to a bellows, commonly known as a "bellows box," and is foldable and telescopic. The expanded bellows-type telescopic float is cylindrical, with conical ends. The surface of the folding skin sleeve is coated to increase wear resistance and tear resistance, adapting to complex rescue environments. A lifting beam 7 is located at the top of the folding skin sleeve, which is bolted to a connecting plate 305. A track is located at the bottom of the lifting beam 7, with ten sliders slidably connected in the track. Ten hooks are fixed to the top of the folding skin sleeve by rivets, with each hook corresponding to a slider for hooking. The air source is a 300W air pump, which is fixed to the rear of the vehicle body 1. The air pump is connected to the bellows-type telescopic float via a high-strength rubber air hose with an inner diameter of 20 mm to ensure that gas can be quickly filled into the bellows-type telescopic float. The air pump is powered by the vehicle body 1's electrical system and is equipped with an overload protection device to prevent damage due to prolonged operation or excessive current. The rest is the same as in Embodiment 1.
[0030] In scenarios involving flood relief, river crossings, and other water-crossing operations, when a vehicle needs to enter the water, the operator first prepares by manipulating the hanger tilting motor to swing the suspension device hanger 2, carrying the suspension device, to both sides of the vehicle body 1. After these preparations are complete, the air pump is started, quickly filling the bellows-type telescopic floats with air. When the bellows-type telescopic floats fully expand and extend, the suspension device reaches its maximum volume, providing maximum buoyancy. At this time, the bellows-type telescopic floats on both sides of the vehicle body 1 increase the overall lateral dimension, providing strong buoyancy support for the vehicle in the water. The symmetrical layout of the suspension device on both sides of the vehicle body 1 ensures even buoyancy distribution, enhancing vehicle stability and ensuring that the vehicle remains balanced even in turbulent waters, allowing for safe operations such as transporting personnel or supplies. When the task is completed and the vehicle needs to return to land, the operator opens the vent valve on the bellows-type telescopic pontoon. The gas inside the pontoon is gradually released, causing it to fold and retract. Once the pontoon is at its smallest size, the operator operates the hanger tilting motor to swing the suspension device hanger 2, carrying the suspension device, into the vehicle body 1, reducing its space occupation. At this point, the suspension device is stored on the vehicle body 1, and the vehicle returns to a more compact state, facilitating rapid travel on land.
[0031] Example 3:
[0032] An amphibious vehicle with a suspension system includes a vehicle body 1 and a suspension system. The suspension system is mounted on the vehicle body 1. An air source is provided on the vehicle body 1 and is connected to the suspension system for inflating it. Suspension system brackets 2 are symmetrically arranged on both sides of the vehicle body 1. Each suspension system bracket 2 has a vertical surface and four folding brackets 3 are evenly distributed along the axial direction on it. Each folding bracket 3 includes a fixed rod 301, a movable rod 302, and a connecting rod 304. The cross-section of both the fixed rod 301 and the movable rod 302 is U-shaped. Both the fixed rod 301 and the movable rod 302 are bent from steel plates to form side panels on both sides and a bottom panel between the side panels. The fixed rod 301 is installed vertically, and its bottom panel is attached to the vertical surface of the suspension system bracket 2 and fixed with bolts. One end of the movable rod 302 is hinged to the bottom end of the fixed rod 301, and a connecting plate 305 is welded to the other end of the movable rod 302. The movable rod 302 has sliding grooves 303 on its two side plates. The connecting rod 304 is connected between the fixed rod 301 and the movable rod 302. One end of the connecting rod 304 is hinged to the bottom end of the fixed rod 301, and the other end of the connecting rod 304 is connected to the sliding groove 303 through a pin, so that the end of the connecting rod 304 can slide along the sliding groove 303. The connecting rod 304 cooperates with the sliding groove 303 to constrain the movable rod 302 to rotate around the bottom end of the fixed rod 301, forming an angle of 15 to 90 degrees with the fixed rod 301.
[0033] The suspension device is a rubber airbag 4, which is cylindrical with conical ends. The surface of the airbag 4 is coated to increase its wear resistance and tear resistance, adapting to complex rescue environments. A suspension beam 7 is located at the top of the airbag 4, and is bolted to a connecting plate 305. An elastic band 8, also made of rubber, is bonded to the circumference of the airbag 4. The elastic band 8 breaks at the top of the airbag 4 to form two ends, which are bonded to the suspension beam 7. A pair of tightening tabs 5, made of durable nylon fabric, are bonded to the airbag 4. A zipper 6 extends along the length of the airbag 4 between the tightening tabs 5. When the airbag 4 deflates and contracts to its minimum volume, the zipper 6 can be closed, and at this point, the zipper 6 is positioned on the outside of the airbag 4 for easy operation. Unlike Embodiment 1, in this embodiment, the engine of the vehicle body 1 serves as the air source, using the exhaust gas from the engine as the working medium. A three-way valve is installed at the engine's exhaust port. One of the exhaust ports is connected to the airbag 4 via a high-strength rubber hose with an inner diameter of 20 mm to ensure that exhaust gas can quickly inflate the airbag 4. The rest is the same as in Example 1.
[0034] In scenarios involving flood relief, river crossings, and other water-crossing operations, when a vehicle needs to enter the water, the operator first prepares by unzipping the zipper 7 to release and deflate the retracted airbag 4; pulling down the movable rod 302, which rotates around the hinge point on the fixed rod 301, causing the connecting rod 304 to slide within the groove 303. The angle between the movable rod 302 and the fixed rod 301 gradually increases until it reaches 90°, and the folding bracket 3 fully unfolds, providing sufficient space for the airbag 4 to inflate. After these preparations are completed, the three-way valve is activated to quickly fill the airbag 4 with engine exhaust gas. When the airbag 4 is fully inflated, the suspension device reaches its maximum volume, providing maximum buoyancy. At this time, the airbags 4 on both sides of the vehicle body 1 increase the overall lateral dimension, providing strong buoyancy support for the vehicle in the water. The symmetrical layout of the suspension device on both sides of the vehicle body 1 ensures a balanced distribution of buoyancy, enhancing the vehicle's stability and ensuring that the vehicle remains balanced even in turbulent water, allowing for safe operation, such as transporting personnel or supplies. When the task is completed and the vehicle needs to return to land, the operator opens the deflation valve on the airbag 4, gradually releasing the gas inside. The airbag 4 gradually contracts, and when it reaches its smallest size, the operator moves the movable rod 302 towards the fixed rod 301 and flips it over until the folding bracket 3 is completely folded. Then, the movable rod 302 is secured to the fixed rod 301 with cable ties to maintain the folded state, or the folded state is maintained by the locking structure between the movable rod 302 and the fixed rod 301. Finally, the operator pulls the zipper 6, causing the tightening plate 5 to further tighten the deflated airbag 4, reducing its space occupation. At this point, the suspension device is close to the vehicle body, and the vehicle returns to a more compact state, facilitating rapid travel on land.
Claims
1. An amphibious vehicle with a levitation device, comprising a vehicle body (1), characterized in that, An inflatable suspension device is installed on the vehicle body (1). The suspension device is connected to an air source located on the vehicle body (1). The vehicle body (1) is provided with a suspension device bracket (2). The suspension device bracket (2) is provided with a folding bracket (3). The folding bracket (3) includes a fixed rod (301) and a movable rod (302). The fixed rod (301) is fixed on the suspension device bracket (2). One end of the movable rod (302) is hinged to the fixed rod (301), and the other end is connected to the suspension device.
2. The amphibious vehicle with a levitation device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The movable rod (302) is provided with a sliding groove (303), and a connecting rod (304) is also connected between the fixed rod (301) and the movable rod (302). One end of the connecting rod (304) is hinged to the fixed rod (301), and the other end is slidably connected in the sliding groove (303).
3. The amphibious vehicle with a levitation device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The suspension device is an airbag made of rubber (4).
4. The amphibious vehicle with a levitation device according to claim 3, characterized in that, A pair of tightening tabs (5) are fixed on the airbag (4), and a zipper (6) is provided between the tightening tabs (5).
5. The amphibious vehicle with a levitation device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The suspension devices are symmetrically arranged on both sides of the vehicle body (1).
6. The amphibious vehicle with a levitation device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that, The air source is an air pump, which is fixed on the vehicle body (1).
7. The amphibious vehicle with a levitation device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that, The air source is the engine of the vehicle body (1).