A new type of front swing arm suspension damping system for tricycle

Abstract

The utility model discloses a novel tricycle front swing arm suspension damping system, including front wheel assembly, swing arm subassembly, shock absorber subassembly, chassis subassembly and steering control subassembly, swing arm subassembly one end is connected to front wheel assembly, swing arm subassembly's other end is connected in the lower end mounting point of chassis subassembly, shock absorber subassembly lower end is connected in swing arm subassembly close to front wheel assembly position, shock absorber subassembly upper end fixed connection is in the upper end mounting point of chassis subassembly, through setting swing arm that can swing up and down, connect wheel and shock absorber subassembly to chassis, realize damping system and the physical isolation of direction handlebar. Shock absorber subassembly only bears vertical damping function, and steering is completed by independent mechanism, and they do not interfere with each other. The road surface vibration is transmitted to the frame after being absorbed by the swing arm and the shock absorber subassembly, and is no longer conducted to the handlebar, which significantly improves the driving comfort and safety. The system structure is simple, reliable, suitable for various tricycles, and has good popularization and application prospect.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of vehicle shock absorption technology, and provides a novel front swing arm suspension shock absorption system for tricycles. Background Technology

[0002] Currently, most tricycles on the market use a straight-tube telescopic shock absorber structure for their front suspension, including single or double straight-tube designs, with some structures featuring a curved support arm at the lower end. This type of shock absorber primarily relies on springs and dampers to dissipate energy and achieve its damping function. While simple in structure and low in cost, it has significant drawbacks:

[0003] 1. Limited damping effect: The damping performance is highly dependent on the matching of spring stiffness and damping, and it has poor adaptability to complex road conditions, resulting in a mediocre damping effect;

[0004] 2. Direct vibration transmission: The handlebars are rigidly connected to the wheels directly through the shock absorber assembly. When the wheels pass over uneven road surfaces, the impact, vibration, and swaying motion are directly transmitted to the handlebars, resulting in severe vibration in the rider's hands and strong fatigue during operation.

[0005] 3. Poor handling stability: When the wheels turn, the shock absorber assembly rotates synchronously with the wheels, forming a state of "controlling by holding the shock absorber assembly". The steering feedback is too direct, which can easily cause steering vibration or even loss of control.

[0006] In the existing technology, improving driving comfort by optimizing the steering transmission device is relatively mature. For example, the Chinese patent publication number CN208746175U increases the distance between the steering handle and the driver, increases the operating space, and thus improves driving comfort. However, the problem of rigid connection between the steering handle and the shock absorber assembly has not yet been solved.

[0007] In summary, existing technologies lack a front suspension system that can decouple shock absorption from steering, effectively isolate vibration transmission, and improve driving comfort and safety. Especially with the widespread use of electric tricycles today, there is an urgent need for a new shock absorption solution that is structurally sound, reliable in performance, and cost-effective. Utility Model Content

[0008] This invention provides a novel front swing arm suspension shock absorption system for tricycles to solve the problems existing in the prior art.

[0009] To achieve the above objectives, this utility model provides a novel front swing arm suspension damping system for a three-wheeled vehicle, including a front wheel assembly, a swing arm assembly, a shock absorber assembly, a chassis assembly, and a steering control assembly. The front wheel assembly is connected to one end of the swing arm assembly, and the other end of the swing arm assembly is connected to a lower mounting point on the chassis assembly. The lower end of the shock absorber assembly is connected to the swing arm assembly near the front wheel assembly, and the upper end of the shock absorber assembly is fixedly connected to an upper mounting point on the chassis assembly. The system is characterized by:

[0010] The swing arm assembly includes a swing arm horizontal axis and a swing arm vertical axis. The end of the swing arm vertical axis is provided with a kingpin, which is rotatably connected to a steering knuckle.

[0011] The chassis assembly includes a front frame, a mounting beam, a shock absorber assembly bracket, a swing arm mounting seat, and a swing arm pivot. The swing arm mounting seat and the swing arm pivot are located at the lower part of the front frame, and the shock absorber assembly bracket is located on the mounting beam.

[0012] Preferably, the steering control assembly includes a steering gear, a rocker arm, a steering tie rod, and a steering arm, wherein the steering arm is connected to the front wheel assembly.

[0013] Preferably, the axial directions of the swing arm mounting base and the swing arm pivot are aligned, the swing arm horizontal shaft is movably connected through the swing arm mounting base, and the two ends of the swing arm horizontal shaft are connected to the swing arm pivot through rolling bearings or rubber bushing structures.

[0014] Preferably, the shock absorber assembly is a hydraulic damping shock absorber assembly, a pneumatic shock absorber assembly, or a spring-damping composite shock absorber assembly. The upper end of the shock absorber assembly is fixedly connected to the shock absorber assembly bracket, and the lower end of the shock absorber assembly is connected to the longitudinal axis of the swing arm through a ball joint.

[0015] Preferably, the axis of the shock absorber assembly is substantially parallel to or at a preset angle to the swing plane of the swing arm assembly, so as to optimize the transmission path of the shock absorption force and improve the shock absorption efficiency.

[0016] Preferably, the swing arm assembly is L-shaped, U-shaped, or arc-shaped.

[0017] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following advantages:

[0018] 1. Significantly improved driving comfort: Road vibrations are effectively isolated, and there is no noticeable vibration in the handlebars, making it especially suitable for long-distance driving;

[0019] 2. Enhanced driving safety: Shock absorption and steering are decoupled to avoid steering vibration or loss of control caused by uneven road surfaces;

[0020] 3. High system stability: The swing arm structure has a reasonable stress distribution, and the shock absorber components operate in a more stable environment, reducing failures such as oil leakage and breakage;

[0021] 4. Simple and reliable structure: few parts, easy assembly, and low maintenance cost;

[0022] 5. High versatility: The swing arm structure can be adapted to different vehicle models, facilitating modular promotion;

[0023] 6. Extended service life: The shock absorber assembly does not bear steering torque, but only vertical load, which reduces the workload and extends the service life;

[0024] 7. Enhance the overall quality of the vehicle: The driving experience is close to that of a four-wheel car suspension system, which helps to improve the product's competitiveness. Attached Figure Description

[0025] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this utility model or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only embodiments of this utility model. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on the provided drawings without creative effort.

[0026] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of this utility model.

[0027] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the chassis component structure.

[0028] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the swing arm assembly.

[0029] Reference numerals: 1. Front wheel assembly; 2. Control arm assembly; 3. Shock absorber assembly; 4. Chassis assembly; 5. Steering control assembly; 6. Kingpin; 7. Steering knuckle; 21. Control arm transverse axis; 22. Control arm longitudinal axis; 41. Front frame; 42. Mounting beam; 43. Shock absorber assembly bracket; 44. Control arm mount; 45. Control arm pivot; 50. Steering gear; 51. Rocker arm; 52. Steering tie rod; 53. Steering arm. Detailed Implementation

[0030] To facilitate understanding by those skilled in the art, various embodiments of this patent will be described below with reference to text and accompanying drawings. For clarity, many practical details will be explained in the following description. However, it should be understood that these practical details in the specification should not be used to limit this patent. That is, in some embodiments of this patent, these practical details are not essential. Furthermore, for ease of understanding, some conventional structures and components will be illustrated in the drawings in a simple schematic manner.

[0031] In the description of this patent, it should be understood that the terms "length", "width", "upper", "lower", "front", "back", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing this patent and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this patent.

[0032] In this patent, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," "joining," and "fixing," etc., should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; they can refer to the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this patent according to the specific circumstances.

[0033] Example

[0034] See Figure 1 , Figure 2 , Figure 3 A novel front swing arm suspension shock absorption system for a tricycle is provided, including a front wheel assembly 1, a swing arm assembly 2, a shock absorber assembly 3, a chassis assembly 4, and a steering control assembly 5. The front wheel assembly 1 is used to carry the wheel and is in direct contact with the road surface. It is a key component for the tricycle's steering, transmission of driving force and braking force. The front wheel assembly 1 is mounted on the steering knuckle 7 through a wheel hub bearing and can rotate freely around the steering knuckle axis.

[0035] The chassis assembly 4 serves as the mounting base for the entire suspension system and is fixed to the front end of the tricycle. It includes a front frame 41, a mounting beam 42, a shock absorber assembly bracket 43, a swing arm mounting seat 44, and a swing arm pivot 45. It provides the swing fulcrum for the swing arm assembly 2 and the upper mounting point for the shock absorber assembly 3. Specifically:

[0036] The front frame 41 is fixedly connected to the main frame at the front of the tricycle. The mounting beam 42 is connected to the front frame 41. The shock absorber assembly bracket 43 is fixedly installed on the mounting beam 42 and is used to fix the upper end of the shock absorber assembly 3. The swing arm mounting seat 44 and the swing arm pivot 45 are located at the lower part of the front frame 41. The axial directions of the swing arm mounting seat 44 and the swing arm pivot 45 are aligned, and together they form the swing fulcrum of the swing arm assembly 2.

[0037] The swing arm assembly 2 includes a swing arm horizontal shaft 21 and a swing arm vertical shaft 22, which are cross-connected in an "L" shape. They are made of high-strength steel or aluminum alloy. The end of the swing arm vertical shaft 22 is provided with a kingpin 6, which is made of wear-resistant alloy steel and has undergone surface hardening treatment. The swing arm horizontal shaft 21 passes through the swing arm mounting seat 44 and is connected to the swing arm pivot 45 through a rolling bearing or rubber bushing structure. This connection method allows the swing arm horizontal shaft 21 to swing up and down relative to the chassis assembly 4 around its axis (i.e., the swing axis of the swing arm).

[0038] The shock absorber assembly 3 is a spring-damping composite shock absorber, with an external helical spring and an internal hydraulic or pneumatic damping cylinder. It is used to absorb and dissipate the vertical bouncing energy of the wheel caused by uneven road surface, providing buffering and damping, suppressing vibration, and maintaining wheel contact with the road surface. The upper end of the shock absorber assembly 3 is fixedly connected to the shock absorber assembly bracket 43 of the chassis assembly 4 by bolt connection or rubber bushing connection to provide a certain vibration isolation effect. The lower end of the shock absorber assembly 3 is connected to the longitudinal axis 22 of the swing arm near the front wheel assembly 1 through a ball joint (ball pin). This connection point allows the force of the shock absorber assembly 3 to effectively act on the longitudinal axis 22 of the swing arm, generating a torque around the axis 21 of the swing arm.

[0039] The steering control assembly 5 includes a steering gear 50, a rocker arm 51, a steering tie rod 52, and a steering arm 53. The steering gear 50 is fixed to the chassis assembly 4. One end of the rocker arm 51 is movably connected to the steering gear 50, and the other end is connected to the steering tie rod 52 via a movable ball joint. The other end of the steering tie rod 52 is connected to the steering arm 53 via a movable ball joint. The rocker arm 51 and the steering arm 53 are made of high-strength steel or aluminum alloy. The steering tie rod 52 is a steel pipe or alloy steel rod with ball joints at both ends. The steering arm 53 is connected to the front wheel assembly 1. The steering control assembly 5 is independent of the shock absorption system, receives steering commands from the steering handle, and converts them into the steering angle of the wheel. It controls the front wheel to rotate around the kingpin 6 axis.

[0040] Working principle of the device

[0041] When the tricycle is traveling on an uneven road:

[0042] When the front wheel assembly 1 encounters a bump or depression, it moves upward or downward. This movement is transmitted to the longitudinal axis 22 of the control arm assembly 2 via the steering knuckle 7 and kingpin 6, causing the entire control arm assembly 2 to swing up and down around the axis of the transverse axis 21 of the control arm (i.e., the axis defined by the control arm mount 44 and the control arm pivot 45). The swinging of the longitudinal axis 22 of the control arm drives the shock absorber assembly 3, which is connected to its lower end by a ball joint, to perform compression or extension movements. The springs and dampers (hydraulic oil or gas) of the shock absorber assembly 3 absorb and dissipate the impact energy of the road surface, thereby damping the vibration and transmitting the remaining, buffered force to the chassis assembly 4, and finally to the frame. Since the shock absorber assembly 3 only bears the force in the vertical direction, its operation is stable and efficient.

[0043] When the driver turns the steering wheel, the steering force is transmitted through the steering transmission mechanism to the rocker arm 51 of the steering control assembly 5. The rocker arm 51 drives the steering arm 53 via the steering tie rod 52, causing the steering knuckle 7 to rotate around the axis of the kingpin 6. The steering knuckle 7 steers the front wheel assembly 1. Throughout the steering process, the swing arm assembly 2 and the shock absorber assembly 3 do not participate in the steering motion; they only move in translation (if the road surface is flat) or oscillate in combination with the wheels (if the road surface is uneven). The shock absorber assembly 3 does not bear any steering torque.

[0044] Because the shock absorption system (swing arm assembly 2, shock absorber assembly 3) and the steering system (steering control assembly 5, steering knuckle 7, kingpin 6) are structurally separate, wheel bounce caused by road impacts is mainly absorbed by the shock absorption system and is not directly transmitted to the steering system, thus avoiding severe handlebar vibration and steering jitter. At the same time, steering operation only affects the steering system and does not affect the normal operation of the shock absorption system.

[0045] The above description of the disclosed embodiments enables those skilled in the art to make or use the present invention. Various modifications to the embodiments will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the general principles defined herein may be implemented in other embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of the present invention. Therefore, the present invention is not to be limited to the embodiments shown herein, but is to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and novel features disclosed herein.

Claims

1. A novel front swing arm suspension damping system for a three-wheeled vehicle, comprising a front wheel assembly (1), a swing arm assembly (2), a shock absorber assembly (3), a chassis assembly (4), and a steering control assembly (5), wherein the front wheel assembly (1) is connected to one end of the swing arm assembly (2), the other end of the swing arm assembly (2) is connected to the lower mounting point of the chassis assembly (4), the lower end of the shock absorber assembly (3) is connected to the swing arm assembly (2) near the front wheel assembly (1), and the upper end of the shock absorber assembly (3) is fixedly connected to the upper mounting point of the chassis assembly (4), characterized in that: The swing arm assembly (2) includes a swing arm horizontal shaft (21) and a swing arm vertical shaft (22). The end of the swing arm vertical shaft (22) is provided with a kingpin (6), and the kingpin (6) is rotatably connected to the steering knuckle (7). The chassis assembly (4) includes a front frame (41), a mounting beam (42), a shock absorber assembly bracket (43), a swing arm mounting seat (44), and a swing arm pivot (45). The swing arm mounting seat (44) and the swing arm pivot (45) are located at the lower part of the front frame (41), and the shock absorber assembly bracket (43) is located on the mounting beam (42).

2. The novel front swing arm suspension shock absorption system for a tricycle according to claim 1, characterized in that, The steering control assembly (5) includes a steering gear (50), a rocker arm (51), a steering tie rod (52), and a steering arm (53), which is connected to the front wheel assembly (1).

3. The novel front swing arm suspension shock absorption system for a tricycle according to claim 1, characterized in that, The axial directions of the swing arm mounting base (44) and the swing arm pivot (45) are aligned. The shaft of the swing arm horizontal shaft (21) passes through the swing arm mounting base (44) and is movably connected. The two ends of the swing arm horizontal shaft (21) are connected to the swing arm pivot (45) through rolling bearings or rubber bushing structures.

4. A novel front swing arm suspension shock absorption system for a tricycle according to claim 1, characterized in that, The shock absorber assembly (3) is a hydraulic damping shock absorber assembly, a pneumatic shock absorber assembly, or a spring-damping composite shock absorber assembly. The upper end of the shock absorber assembly (3) is fixedly connected to the shock absorber assembly bracket (43), and the lower end of the shock absorber assembly (3) is connected to the longitudinal axis of the swing arm (22) through a ball joint.

5. A novel front swing arm suspension shock absorption system for a tricycle according to claim 1, characterized in that, The axis of the shock absorber assembly (3) is basically parallel to or at a preset angle to the swing plane of the swing arm assembly (2) in order to optimize the transmission path of the shock absorption force and improve the shock absorption efficiency.

6. A novel front swing arm suspension shock absorption system for a tricycle according to claim 1, characterized in that, The swing arm assembly (2) is L-shaped, U-shaped or arc-shaped.

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