Suspension system, control method thereof, and vehicle

Abstract

The present application discloses a suspension system and its control method, and a vehicle. The suspension system includes a suspension assembly, a driver, a controller, a compressor, and a gas tank. The suspension assembly has a gas spring and a height sensor. The gas tank contains gas, and the gas tank is connected to the compressor through a first vent pipe, and the compressor is connected to the gas spring through a second vent pipe. A first switching valve is disposed in the first vent pipe, and a second switching valve is disposed in the second vent pipe. The driver is separately electrically connected to the controller, the compressor, the first switching valve, the second switching valve, and the height sensor. The suspension system may be installed between the wheels and the body of the vehicle. In the working process of the suspension system, the height between the wheels and the body of the vehicle is adjusted based on the working conditions of the vehicle and external inputs to improve the stability and comfort of the vehicle. The structures of each part of the suspension system are independent structures, and realize the integrated control of the vehicle.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present application relates to the field of vehicle structural technology, and in particular to a suspension system and a control method thereof, and a vehicle. [Background technology]

[0002] A vehicle's suspension system is connected between the sprung and unsprung masses, thereby attenuating road-excited disturbances on the vehicle's output variables. Vehicle output is generally considered from two perspectives: comfort and road adhesion. The corresponding output variables are the vehicle's body acceleration and tire deformation, respectively. There is a conflict between the vehicle's body acceleration and tire deformation. Considering suspension travel and design costs, a compromise between the vehicle's body acceleration and tire deformation must be found in the vehicle's suspension system, so that the vehicle in driving conditions can adequately respond to the driver's or vehicle design requirements to meet the requirements of comfort, handling, and safety design. Automotive suspension systems typically include passive suspension systems, semi-active suspension systems, and fully active suspension systems.

[0003] Passive suspension systems have long been the mainstream suspension system due to their low cost. As electronic control technology develops, semi-active suspension systems are gradually gaining market support for their controllability and adaptive adjustment, and are being installed in more and more vehicle models. Semi-active suspension systems typically include spiral or gas springs and dampers with continuously adjustable damping. Active suspensions are installed in some top-of-the-line vehicle models and require additional energy inputs, such as hydraulic pumps and linear motors, to perform active actuation.

[0004] Current semi-active air suspension systems typically use semi-active shock absorbers as damping elements and gas springs as elastic elements, which are charged and discharged with gas to adjust the height characteristics of the current semi-active air suspension system and meet different external input requirements. In the prior art, a gas pump is typically used to supply gas from the atmosphere to the gas spring, which is then discharged directly into the atmosphere during exhaust to extend and compress the gas spring. This open-loop gas path solution requires air at low atmospheric pressure to be pressurized to a specific pressure, resulting in large pressure fluctuations. This requires a long time and slows the lifting and lowering speed of the vehicle body. Additionally, the need to pressurize the air to a specific pressure requires a high air compressor output and produces a lot of noise. Summary of the Invention [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] This application provides a suspension system, a control method thereof, and a vehicle. A slight change in gas pressure in the suspension system's gas path system allows for fast adjustment of the gas spring height, while the compressor output of the suspension system is low, resulting in low noise and power consumption. In addition, the technical solution of this application is low cost because each component has an independent structure and can be manufactured and installed separately. This helps move the controller upward to implement integrated control of the entire vehicle.

[0006] According to a first aspect, the present application provides a suspension system. The suspension system includes a suspension assembly, a driver, a controller, a compressor, and a gas tank. The suspension assembly has a gas spring and a height sensor. The gas tank is supplied with gas, and the gas tank is connected to the compressor via a first vent pipe, and the compressor is connected to the gas spring via a second vent pipe. In this case, the compressor may transfer gas from the gas tank to the gas spring or from the gas spring to the gas tank. In a specific technical solution, a first switching valve is disposed in the first vent pipe, and a second switching valve is disposed in the second vent pipe. Thus, the opening and closing of the first switching valve and the second switching valve are controlled, so that the entire gas path can be vented or closed. The driver is electrically connected separately to the controller, the compressor, the first switching valve, and the second switching valve, and the controller is electrically connected to the height sensor. The suspension system may be installed between the wheels and the vehicle body of a vehicle. In the suspension system, the height sensor is configured to detect the distance between the wheel and the vehicle body, and the controller is configured to receive a height signal from the height sensor, generate a control signal based on the height signal, and transmit the control signal to the driver. After receiving the control signal, the driver is configured to control the first and second switching valves to open and close based on the control signal, and control the compressor to send gas to the gas spring or stop sending gas.

[0007] The gas path system of the suspension system in the technical solution of this application includes a gas tank for storing gas, and the gas in the gas tank has a specific pressure. Compared to the gas pressure required by the gas spring, the gas pressure in the gas tank changes slightly. This allows the height of the gas spring to be adjusted quickly, and the compressor output of the suspension system is low, as well as noise and power consumption. In addition, in the technical solution of this application, each component has an independent structure and can be manufactured and installed separately, resulting in low costs. This helps move the controller upward and implement integrated control of the entire vehicle.

[0008] It should be noted that the controller may receive a height signal from the height sensor, and thus the controller may be directly connected to the height sensor and receive the height signal. Alternatively, the driver may be connected to the height sensor, and the driver may acquire the height signal and transfer the height signal to the controller. In other words, the controller being electrically connected to the height sensor may mean that the controller is directly connected to the height sensor, or that the controller is connected to the height sensor via a driver.

[0009] In a specific technical solution, the suspension assembly further includes a shock absorber. A driver is connected to the shock absorber, and the driver is configured to control the shock absorber to adjust the damping force based on a control signal from the controller. In the technical solution of the present application, the shock absorber can adjust the damping force based on the actual driving state of the vehicle, thereby improving user comfort.

[0010] The compressor is further connected to a third vent pipe, which is open to the outside atmosphere. The compressor compresses atmospheric air and sends the compressed air to the gas tank during operation, filling the gas tank with gas. A third selector valve is located on the third vent pipe, which opens only when gas is needed. The third selector valve is closed when gas is not needed, allowing the gas within the suspension system to continue circulating internally and prevent leakage from the third vent pipe. This technical solution allows the suspension system to fill gas through the suspension system to maintain a sufficient amount of gas within the suspension system to maintain normal operation.

[0011] The specific method for filling the gas tank with gas is not limited in this application. For example, the third switching valve may also be connected to a driver, and the driver may be connected to a controller. The controller may be connected to a control button, and the user may press the control button as needed to fill the gas tank. Alternatively, the controller may control periodic gas filling.

[0012] Alternatively, in yet another specific technical solution, the suspension system may further include a pressure sensor. The pressure sensor is connected to the gas tank and configured to detect the pressure in the gas tank. The first switching valve is a three-way valve configured to send gas from the gas tank to the gas spring and to send gas from the atmosphere to the gas tank. The driver is electrically connected to the compressor, the three-way valve, and the third switching valve, and the controller is electrically connected to the pressure sensor. The controller is configured to obtain a pressure signal from the pressure sensor and generate a gas filling signal based on the pressure signal. Specifically, when the pressure detected by the pressure sensor is lower than a specified pressure, it is considered that the gas tank is low in gas and needs to be filled with gas. The driver obtains the gas filling signal generated by the controller and, based on the gas filling signal, drives the three-way valve connecting the compressor and the gas tank, drives the third switching valve to open, and drives the compressor to compress the air and then send the compressed air to the gas tank. In this solution, gas filling can be performed based on the actual gas state in the gas tank. If it is found that the gas in the gas tank is low, gas filling can be performed at any time to ensure the operational reliability of the suspension system and to avoid unnecessary gas filling operations.

[0013] It should be noted that since the controller receives the pressure signal from the pressure sensor, the controller may be directly connected to the pressure sensor and receive the pressure signal. Alternatively, the driver may be connected to the pressure sensor, and the driver acquires the pressure signal and transfers the pressure signal to the controller. In other words, the controller being electrically connected to the pressure sensor may mean that the controller is directly connected to the pressure sensor, or that the controller is connected to the pressure sensor via a driver.

[0014] The number of suspension assemblies included in the suspension system is not limited, and the suspension system includes at least two suspension assemblies. The gas springs in each suspension assembly are connected to one second switching valve. In this solution, the heights of the positions where the at least two suspension assemblies are located can be adjusted and controlled separately. This improves the stability and comfort of the vehicle.

[0015] In the above-described embodiment, all the second switching valves are of a unitary structure to reduce the space occupied by the second switching valves.

[0016] In addition, when the suspension system includes at least two suspension assemblies, each suspension assembly is provided with a corresponding driver, which results in a shorter distance between the driver and the corresponding suspension assembly, reducing the cable harness and facilitating cable routing of the suspension system.

[0017] In a particular technical solution, the suspension system may include four suspension assemblies, which are arranged in a matrix so that the suspension assemblies are located at all four corners of the vehicle to adjust the height of the vehicle body at the four corners.

[0018] Specifically, the four suspension assemblies do not need to be driven simultaneously, and the corresponding gas springs are controlled to perform gas charging and gas discharging based on the signals of the corresponding height sensors, which can improve the stability and comfort of the vehicle.

[0019] In the technical solution of the present application, the controller, the driver, and the first switching valve have a divided structure. In this case, the controller can be a domain controller or a vehicle controller in addition to being a system controller. A vehicle usually includes multiple control systems, and a domain controller means that the controller can control at least two of the multiple control systems. The vehicle controller can control all the control systems.

[0020] According to a second aspect, the present application further provides a control method for a suspension system according to the first aspect. The control method specifically includes the steps of receiving a height signal from a height sensor, comparing the height signal with a target height, and, when the height signal is less than the target height, indicating that the height of the gas spring needs to be increased, controlling the first and second switching valves to open and controlling the compressor to rotate gas in the gas tank forward to flow into the gas spring so that the height of the gas spring increases. When the height signal is higher than the target height, indicating that the height of the gas spring needs to be decreased, controlling the first and second switching valves to open and controlling the compressor to rotate gas in the gas spring backward to flow into the gas tank so that the height of the gas spring decreases. Alternatively, when the height signal is equal to the target height, controlling the first and second switching valves to close. This method can be used to implement gas filling and degassing processes for the suspension system. In this solution, a gas tank is used for filling the gas, and the output of the compressor for the suspension system is low, as well as noise and power consumption. It should be noted that in this embodiment of the present application, the target height may be a specific height value or a height range value, and the height signal being equal to the target height means that the height signal is within the height range value.

[0021] The compressor may also be connected to a third vent pipe, which is open to the outside atmosphere. The compressor compresses atmospheric air and sends the compressed air to the gas tank during operation, filling the gas tank with gas. A specific gas filling control method includes controlling the first and third switching valves to open, and controlling the compressor to compress the air and then send the compressed air to the gas tank. The third switching valve is closed when gas filling is not required, so that the gas within the suspension system continues to circulate internally and does not leak from the third vent pipe. This technical solution allows the suspension system to perform gas filling by itself, maintaining a sufficient amount of gas within the suspension system to maintain normal operation.

[0022] The suspension system may further include a pressure sensor connected to the gas tank and configured to detect the pressure in the gas tank. The control method further includes the steps of: acquiring the pressure detected by the pressure sensor; determining that the gas tank is low in gas when the pressure is lower than a specified pressure and generating a gas-filling signal; and controlling the first and third switching valves to open based on the gas-filling signal, and controlling the compressor to compress the air and then send the compressed air to the gas tank. In this solution, when it is determined that the gas tank is low in gas, gas filling can be performed as needed based on the actual gas state in the gas tank to ensure the operational reliability of the suspension system and avoid unnecessary gas-filling operations.

[0023] According to a third aspect, the present application further provides a vehicle. The vehicle includes a vehicle body, a wheel shaft, a wheel, and a suspension system according to any one of the aforementioned technical solutions. The wheel is mounted on the wheel shaft, and the suspension system is installed between the wheel shaft and the vehicle body. The vehicle's suspension system adjusts the height of the gas spring quickly and has a low compressor output. This allows the vehicle to respond quickly to bumpy roads and other obstacles, while reducing noise and power consumption. In addition, in the technical solution of the present application, the controller, driver, and other components are independent and can be manufactured and installed separately, thereby reducing costs. This helps move the controller upward and implement integrated control of the entire vehicle.

[0024] In a particular technical solution, the controller may be a domain controller. The vehicle includes multiple systems, some of which share a domain controller. In other words, the domain controller can control at least two systems of the vehicle.

[0025] Additionally, the controller is a vehicle controller. A vehicle includes multiple systems, and all systems share a vehicle controller. In this solution, one vehicle controller can control all systems.

[0026] In a specific configuration of the suspension system, the suspension system may include multiple suspension assemblies, and the multiple suspension assemblies are arranged in one-to-one correspondence with the wheels of the vehicle, thereby improving the stability of the vehicle during the driving process and improving the comfort of the user. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0027] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic diagram of a vehicle structure according to an embodiment of the present application; [Figure 2]1 is a schematic diagram of a connection of a suspension system of a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present application; [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a gas filling process for a suspension system of a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present application. [Figure 4] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a gas release process for a suspension system of a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present application. [Figure 5] FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram of the connection of another suspension system of a vehicle in an embodiment of the present application. [Figure 6] 1 is a flowchart of a method for controlling a suspension system according to an embodiment of the present application. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0028] For ease of understanding, the present application provides a suspension system, a control method thereof, and a vehicle. The following describes application scenarios of the suspension system, the control method, and the vehicle. Currently, people have increasingly higher demands for comfort during vehicle driving, and requirements such as safety and maneuverability must be met. A vehicle's suspension system can further improve vehicle comfort. Specifically, a suspension system is connected between the vehicle's sprung mass and unsprung mass. The sprung mass can be understood as the vehicle body, i.e., the structural space described by the user, and the unsprung mass can be understood as a structure such as a wheel. In the case of an active air suspension system, the air suspension system is formed by gas springs and shock absorbers. A controller can drive and operate the gas springs and shock absorbers to adjust the vehicle height and shock absorber damping based on the vehicle's current state. When a vehicle continues to travel over bumpy roads, the controller can control and operate the gas spring and shock absorber to adjust the height between the sprung mass and the unsprung mass so that the height between the sprung mass and the unsprung mass reaches a preset height. In addition, the shock absorber outputs an optimal damping force to improve user comfort. However, in the prior art, a closed-loop gas-path solution has been proposed to solve problems such as high noise and slow response speed in the open-loop gas-path solution. In the closed-loop gas-path solution, the controller, driver, and valve are integrated into a single structure. This results in problems such as high coupling, high manufacturing difficulty, and high cost. In addition, the controller can only be used as an independent controller to control the suspension system, which does not promote vehicle integration.

[0029] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present application will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. The terms used in the following embodiments are intended to describe specific embodiments only and are not intended to limit the present application. As used in this specification and the appended claims of this application, the singular terms "one," "a," and "this" are intended to include expressions such as "one or more," unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.

[0030] References herein to "one embodiment," "particular embodiment," etc. indicate that one or more embodiments of the application include the particular feature, structure, or characteristic described with reference to the embodiment. The terms "including," "having," and variations thereof all mean "including but not limited to," unless specifically emphasized otherwise.

[0031] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a vehicle structure according to an embodiment of the present application. FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of the connection of a suspension system of a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present application. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the vehicle provided in the present application includes a vehicle body 100, a wheel shaft 300, a wheel 200, and a suspension system. The wheel 200 is installed on the wheel shaft 300, and the suspension system is installed between the wheel shaft 300 and the vehicle body 100. In a specific technical solution, the suspension system includes a suspension assembly 1, a driver 2, a controller 3, a compressor 4, and a gas tank 5. The gas tank 5, the compressor 4, and the suspension assembly 1 are sequentially connected in series via vent pipes. Specifically, the gas tank 5 is connected to the compressor 4 via a first vent pipe 6, and a first switching valve 7 is disposed in the first vent pipe 6. The compressor 4 is connected to the suspension assembly 1 via a second vent pipe 8, and a second switching valve 9 is disposed in the second vent pipe 8. When the first switching valve 7 and the second switching valve 9 are in the open state, under the action of the compressor 4, the gas in the gas tank 5 flows into the suspension assembly 1 through the first ventilation pipe 6, the compressor 4, and the second ventilation pipe 8 in sequence, thereby operating the suspension assembly 1.

[0032] Specifically, each suspension assembly 1 includes a gas spring 101 and a height sensor 103. The compressor 4 is specifically connected to the gas spring 101 of the suspension assembly 1 via the second ventilation pipe 8 to control the height of the gas spring 101, thereby maintaining the distance between the vehicle body 100 and the wheels 200 within a specific range. This improves the stability and comfort of the vehicle body 100 during the driving process of the user vehicle. The controller 3 is electrically connected to the driver 2, thereby enabling signal transmission between the controller 3 and the driver 2. In addition, the driver 2 is further electrically connected to the compressor 4, the first switching valve 7, and the second switching valve 9, separately, and the controller 3 is electrically connected to the height sensor 103. The controller 3 is configured to receive a height signal from the height sensor 103, generate a control signal based on the height signal, and transmit the control signal to the driver 2. The driver 2 is configured to drive the first switching valve 7 and the second switching valve 9 to open or close based on a control signal from the controller 3, and to control the compressor 4 to send gas to the gas spring 101 or stop sending gas.

[0033] In the specific application process of the suspension system, the height sensor 103 is connected to the vehicle body 100. Wheel shaft300 and generates a height signal. The controller 3 may receive the height signal from the height sensor 103. The controller 3 compares the received height signal with a target signal for the target height. When the detected height is less than the target height, it is determined that the height of the vehicle body 100 needs to be increased, i.e., the gas spring 101 needs to be inflated. In this case, the control signal generated by the controller 3 is a gas-filling signal, which indicates that the gas spring 101 should be inflated. FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of a gas-filling process for a vehicle suspension system according to an embodiment of the present application. As shown in FIG. 3, the controller 3 transmits the gas-filling signal to the driver 2. The driver 2 drives the first switching valve 7 and the second switching valve 9 to open based on the gas-filling signal, thereby establishing communication between the gas spring 101 and the gas tank 5. Specifically, the first ventilation pipe 6 and the second ventilation pipe 8 are in communication with each other. In addition, the driver 2 drives the compressor 4 to transfer the gas in the gas tank 5 to the gas spring 101, causing it to expand. In this operating state, the compressor 4 is considered to be operating in the forward direction. When the height detected by the height sensor 103 is the same as the target height, the controller 3 controls the driver 2 to drive the first switching valve 7 and the second switching valve 9 to close, and drives the compressor 4 to stop operation, thereby stopping the gas filling process of the gas spring 101.

[0034] When the detected height is higher than the target height, it is determined that the height of the vehicle body 100 needs to be lowered and that gas needs to be released from the gas spring 101. In this case, the control signal generated by the controller 3 is a gas release signal, which indicates that gas is to be released from the gas spring 101. FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of a gas release process for a vehicle suspension system according to an embodiment of the present application. As shown in FIG. 4, the controller 3 transmits the gas release signal to the driver 2. The driver 2 drives the first switching valve 7 and the second switching valve 9 to open based on the gas release signal, thereby connecting the vent pipes between the gas spring 101 and the gas tank 5. In other words, the first vent pipe 6 and the second vent pipe 8 are connected. In addition, the driver 2 drives the compressor 4 to transfer the gas in the gas spring 101 to the gas tank 5, thereby releasing the gas in the gas spring 101. In this operating state, the compressor 4 is considered to be operating in the reverse direction. When the height detected by the height sensor 103 is the same as the target height, the controller 3 controls the driver 2 to drive the first switching valve 7 and the second switching valve 9 to close, and drives the compressor 4 to stop operation, thereby stopping the gas release process of the gas spring 101.

[0035] In the technical solution of the present application, the gas tank 5 is used to store gas, and the compressor 4 transfers the gas from the gas tank 5 to the gas spring 101 and releases the gas from the gas spring 101 back into the gas tank 5. This solution minimizes gas pressure changes, i.e., the amount of gas pressure increase and decrease is small. Therefore, the gas filling and gas release processes require a long time, and the vehicle body 100 can be raised and lowered quickly. Additionally, the compressor 4 requires low power output, resulting in low noise and power consumption. In addition, the technical solution of the present application includes independent components, such as the controller 3, driver 2, first switching valve 7, and second switching valve 9. Therefore, these components can be manufactured and installed separately, resulting in low costs. Additionally, the controller 3 may be further configured to control other systems in addition to the suspension system.

[0036] It should be noted that the controller 3 receives the height signal from the height sensor 103, and as a result, the controller 3 may be directly connected to the height sensor 103 and receive the height signal. Alternatively, the driver 2 may be connected to the height sensor 103, and the driver 2 acquires the height signal and transfers the height signal to the controller 3. In other words, the controller 3 being electrically connected to the height sensor 103 may mean that the controller 3 is directly connected to the height sensor 103, or that the controller 3 is connected to the height sensor 103 via the driver 2.

[0037] In a specific embodiment, each suspension assembly 1 further includes a shock absorber 102. The driver 2 is connected to the shock absorber 102 and is configured to control the shock absorber 102 to adjust the damping force based on a control signal from the controller 3. Specifically, the damping force of the shock absorber 102 may be adjusted while adjusting the height of the gas spring. In the technical solution of the present application, the shock absorber can adjust the damping force based on the actual driving state of the vehicle, thereby improving user comfort.

[0038] In certain embodiments, the vehicle includes multiple systems. For example, the vehicle may further include multiple systems, such as a braking system, a steering system, or an auxiliary drive system, in addition to the suspension system. In certain embodiments, the controller 3 may be a system controller, i.e., the system controller may be configured only to control the operation of the suspension system and is not associated with another system.

[0039] In another specific embodiment, the controller 3 may be a domain controller, which is configured to control some of the vehicle's systems. That is, the domain controller is configured to control at least two of the vehicle's systems, rather than all of the vehicle's systems. This solution improves sharing of the vehicle's controller 3, thereby moving the controller 3 upward. This reduces the total number of system controllers included in the vehicle.

[0040] In yet another particular embodiment, the controller 3 may alternatively be a vehicle controller configured to implement integrated control and control all systems of the vehicle to meet current development requirements of the vehicle.

[0041] FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of another suspension system connection for a vehicle in an embodiment of the present application. As shown in FIG. 5, in a further embodiment, the compressor 4 is further connected to a third vent pipe 10, which opens to the outside atmosphere. In addition, a third switching valve 11 is disposed in the third vent pipe 10. In a specific operating process, the controller 3 may receive a gas filling command and, based on the gas filling command, control the third switching valve 11 to open and control the compressor 4 to compress the air and then send the compressed air to the gas tank 5. During use of the suspension system, gas is likely to leak slowly. Therefore, a small amount of gas remains in the suspension system. This solution allows the suspension system to fill gas to maintain a sufficient amount of gas in the suspension system. This ensures the reliability of the suspension system.

[0042] In a specific embodiment, the first switching valve 7 is a three-way valve. In a first operating state of the three-way valve, the gas tank 5 is connected to a first vent opening of the compressor 4, which communicates with the gas spring 101 and is configured to expand or release gas for the gas spring 101. In a second operating state of the three-way valve, the gas tank 5 is connected to a second vent opening of the compressor 4, which communicates with the third vent pipe 10, to fill the gas tank 5 with gas. In a third operating state of the three-way valve, the three-way valve is closed. In this state, gas cannot flow into or out of the gas tank 5. The driver 2 is electrically connected to the controller 3, the compressor 4, the pressure sensor 12, the three-way valve, and the third switching valve 11. The controller 3 can receive a gas filling command, generate a gas filling signal, and transmit the gas filling signal to the driver 2. The driver 2 is configured to control the three-way valve to be in the second operating state based on the gas filling signal, drive the third switching valve 11 to open, and drive the compressor 4 to compress the air and then send the compressed air to the gas tank 5, thereby performing gas filling of the suspension system.

[0043] Specifically, when gas is to be filled into the suspension system, the user may actively fill the gas. For example, the controller 3 of the suspension system may be connected to a control button, and the user may operate the control button to send a gas filling instruction to the controller 3 periodically or irregularly. The controller 3 receives the gas filling instruction from the control button, generates a gas filling signal, and transfers the gas filling signal to the driver 2. The driver 2 fills the suspension system with gas based on the gas filling signal.

[0044] Alternatively, in another particular embodiment, the controller 3 may further enable gas to be periodically filled into the suspension system, i.e., the controller 3 may periodically generate a gas filling signal, to control the driver 2 to fill gas into the suspension system based on the gas filling signal.

[0045] Alternatively, in certain embodiments, the suspension system may further include a pressure sensor 12. The pressure sensor 12 may be connected to the gas tank 5 and configured to detect the pressure in the gas tank 5 and determine whether gas filling is required. Specifically, the pressure sensor 12 is electrically connected to the controller 3, and the controller 3 is configured to acquire a pressure signal from the pressure sensor 12, generate a gas filling signal based on the pressure signal, and transfer the gas filling signal to the driver 2. The driver 2 drives the suspension system based on the gas filling signal from the controller 3 to automatically perform gas filling. This solution enables automatic gas filling of the suspension system and avoids frequent manual gas filling.

[0046] It should be noted that since the controller 3 receives the pressure signal of the pressure sensor 12, the controller 3 may be directly connected to the pressure sensor 12 and may receive the pressure signal. Alternatively, the driver 2 may be connected to the pressure sensor 12, and the driver 2 acquires the pressure signal and transfers the pressure signal to the controller 3. In other words, the controller 3 being electrically connected to the pressure sensor 12 may mean that the controller 3 is directly connected to the pressure sensor 12, or may mean that the controller 3 is connected to the pressure sensor 12 via the driver 2.

[0047] In a specific embodiment, the suspension system may include at least two suspension assemblies 1, and the gas springs 101 in each suspension assembly 1 are connected to one second switching valve 9. In a specific technical solution, the second switching valves 9 of each suspension assembly 1 may be of an independent structure to facilitate control of each gas spring 101.

[0048] Each suspension system is further provided with a corresponding driver 2. Specifically, when the second switching valve 9 and the driver 2 of each suspension assembly 1 are arranged, the driver 2 is arranged close to the second switching valve 9, which can reduce the cable harness and facilitate cable wiring of the suspension system.

[0049] In a particular embodiment, the second switching valves 9 of all the suspension assemblies 1 are of a unitary structure, which helps to reduce the volume of the suspension assembly 1.

[0050] See FIG. 1. In a specific embodiment, the suspension system includes four suspension assemblies 1, which are arranged in a matrix. In this solution, since the four suspension assemblies 1 are arranged in a matrix, the suspension assemblies 1 are arranged at all four corners of the vehicle, and the height of the vehicle body 100 at the four corners can be adjusted. Specifically, the four suspension assemblies 1 do not need to be driven simultaneously, and the corresponding gas springs 101 are controlled to perform gas charging and gas discharging based on the signals of the corresponding height sensors 103, which can improve the stability and comfort of the vehicle.

[0051] Specifically, the vehicle includes a plurality of suspension assemblies 1, which are arranged in one-to-one correspondence with the wheels 200 of the vehicle, so that the height between each wheel 200 and the vehicle body 100 can be adjusted, thereby improving the stability and comfort of the vehicle.

[0052] Based on the same inventive concept, the present application further provides a control method for a suspension system. The suspension system is specifically the suspension system in any one of the above-mentioned embodiments. Figure 6 is a flowchart of the control method for a suspension system according to an embodiment of the present application. As shown in Figure 6, the control method specifically includes the following steps:

[0053] Step S101: Receive a height signal from the height sensor.

[0054] The height sensor can constantly detect the height between the vehicle body and the axle. During the vehicle's running process, the height between the vehicle body and the axle must be kept constant, so that the vehicle's state can be stabilized.

[0055] Step S102: Compare the height signal with the target height; if the height signal is less than the target height, execute step S103; if the height signal is higher than the target height, execute step S104; or if the height signal is equal to the target height, execute step S105.

[0056] When the height signal is less than the target height, it is considered that the height between the body and the axle is too low and the height of the gas spring needs to be increased, so that the height between the body and the axle meets the target height. When the height signal is higher than the target height, it is considered that the height between the body and the axle is too high and the height of the gas spring needs to be decreased, so that the height between the body and the axle meets the target height. It should be noted that the target height may be a specific height value or a height range value. A height signal equal to the target height means that the height signal is within the height range value.

[0057] Step S103: The first and second switching valves are controlled to open so that the height of the gas spring increases and the distance between the vehicle body and the axle increases, and the compressor is controlled to rotate the gas in the gas tank in the forward direction and flow it into the gas spring.

[0058] Step S104: The first and second switching valves are controlled to open so that the height of the gas spring is lowered and the height between the vehicle body and the axle is lowered, and the compressor is controlled to drive the gas in the gas spring in the reverse direction and flow into the gas tank.

[0059] Step S105: The height of the gas spring remains unchanged, and the first and second switching valves are controlled to be closed so that the height between the vehicle body and the axle remains unchanged.

[0060] In the above control process, the suspension system of the vehicle can automatically adjust the height between the body and the axle to improve the stability of the vehicle during the driving process.

[0061] The compressor may also be connected to a third vent pipe, which is open to the outside atmosphere. The compressor compresses atmospheric air and sends the compressed air to the gas tank during operation, filling the gas tank with gas. A specific gas filling control method includes receiving a gas filling signal, controlling the first and third switching valves to open based on the gas filling signal, and controlling the compressor to compress the air and then send the compressed air to the gas tank. The third switching valve is closed when gas filling is not required, so that gas within the suspension system continues to circulate internally and does not leak through the third vent pipe. This technical solution allows the suspension system to automatically fill with gas to maintain a sufficient amount of gas within the suspension system to maintain normal operation.

[0062] In certain embodiments, the method for triggering the gas fill signal is not limited. For example, the controller of the suspension system may be connected to a control button, and a user may operate the control button to periodically or irregularly send a gas fill signal instruction to the controller. The controller receives the gas fill instruction from the control button, generates a gas fill signal, and performs gas filling of the suspension system based on the gas fill signal. Alternatively, the controller may enable gas to be periodically filled into the suspension system, i.e., the controller may periodically generate a gas fill signal to fill the suspension system with gas based on the gas fill signal.

[0063] Alternatively, the suspension system may further include a pressure sensor connected to the gas tank and configured to detect the pressure in the gas tank. The control method further includes the steps of: acquiring the pressure detected by the pressure sensor; determining that the gas tank is low in gas when the pressure is lower than a specified pressure and generating a gas filling signal; and controlling the first and third switching valves to open based on the gas filling signal, and controlling the compressor to compress the air and then send the compressed air to the gas tank. In this solution, when it is determined that the gas tank is low in gas, gas filling can be performed as needed based on the actual gas situation in the gas tank to ensure the operational reliability of the suspension system and avoid unnecessary gas filling operations.

[0064] It is obvious that those skilled in the art can make various modifications and variations to this application without departing from the scope of protection of this application. Therefore, this application intends to cover such modifications and variations to this application as long as they fall within the scope of the claims of this application and their equivalent technologies. [Explanation of symbols]

[0065] 100 body 200 wheels 300 Wheel shaft 1. Suspension Assembly 101 Gas Spring 102 Shock absorber 103 Height Sensor 2 Driver 3 Controller 4 Compressor 5 Gas Tank 6 First Vent Pipe 7 First switching valve 8 Secondary Vent Pipe 9 Second switching valve 10 Third Vent Pipe 11 Third switching valve 12 Pressure Sensor

Claims

1. A suspension system comprising a suspension assembly, a driver, a controller, a compressor, and a gas tank, the suspension assembly comprising a gas spring and a height sensor; the gas tank is connected to the compressor via a first vent pipe, a first switching valve is disposed in the first vent pipe, the compressor is connected to the gas spring via a second vent pipe, a second switching valve is disposed in the second vent pipe, the driver is electrically connected to the controller, the compressor, the first switching valve, and the second switching valve separately, and the controller is electrically connected to the height sensor; the controller is configured to receive a height signal from the height sensor, generate a control signal based on the height signal, and transfer the control signal to the driver, and the driver is configured to control the first switching valve and the second switching valve to open and close based on the control signal, and to control the compressor to either allow gas in the gas spring to flow into the gas tank, allow gas in the gas tank to flow into the gas spring, or stop sending gas; a suspension system, wherein the compressor is further connected to a third vent pipe, the third vent pipe is open to an external atmosphere, a third switching valve is disposed in the third vent pipe, and when the first switching valve and the third switching valve are in an open state, the compressor compresses air and then sends the compressed air to the gas tank.

2. 2. The suspension system of claim 1, wherein the gas tank is further connected to a pressure sensor, the first switching valve is a three-way valve, the driver is electrically connected to the compressor, the three-way valve, and the third switching valve, the controller is electrically connected to the pressure sensor, the controller is configured to acquire a pressure signal from the pressure sensor, generate a gas filling signal based on the pressure signal, and send the gas filling signal to the driver, and the driver is configured to drive the three-way valve to connect the compressor and the gas tank, drive the third switching valve to open, drive the compressor to compress air, and then send the compressed air to the gas tank based on the gas filling signal.

3. 3. The suspension system of claim 1, wherein the suspension assembly further comprises a shock absorber, the driver is also connected to the shock absorber, and the driver is further configured to control the shock absorber to adjust a damping force based on the control signal of the controller.

4. 4. The suspension system according to claim 1, wherein the suspension system comprises at least two suspension assemblies, and the gas spring in each suspension assembly is connected to one second switching valve.

5. 5. The suspension system according to claim 4, wherein all of the second switching valves are of a monolithic structure.

6. 6. A suspension system according to claim 4 or 5, wherein each suspension assembly is provided with a corresponding driver.

7. 7. The suspension system according to claim 1, wherein the suspension system comprises four suspension assemblies, the four suspension assemblies being arranged in a matrix.

8. 8. The suspension system of claim 1, wherein the controller is a system controller, a domain controller, or a vehicle controller.

9. 9. A method for controlling a suspension system according to any one of claims 1 to 8, comprising the steps of: receiving the height signal of the height sensor; a step of controlling the compressor to open the first and second switching valves and drive them in a forward rotation to cause the gas in the gas tank to flow into the gas spring when the height signal is less than a target height; a step of controlling the compressor to open the first and second switching valves and drive them in a reverse rotation to cause the gas in the gas spring to flow into the gas tank when the height signal is higher than the target height; or a step of controlling the first and second switching valves to close when the height signal is equal to the target height; controlling the first switching valve and the third switching valve to open, and controlling the compressor to compress air and then send the compressed air to the gas tank; A control method comprising:

10. The gas tank is connected to a pressure sensor, and the pressure sensor is configured to detect a pressure in the gas tank, and the control method includes: acquiring a pressure detected by the pressure sensor; generating a gas filling signal when the pressure is less than a designated pressure; and controlling the first and third switching valves to open based on the gas filling signal, and controlling the compressor to compress air and then send the compressed air to the gas tank.

10. The control method of claim 9, comprising:

11. A vehicle comprising a vehicle body, a wheel shaft, a wheel, and a suspension system according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the wheel is mounted on the wheel shaft and the suspension system is mounted between the wheel shaft and the vehicle body.

12. 12. The vehicle of claim 11, wherein the controller is a domain controller, and the vehicle comprises multiple systems, some of the multiple systems sharing the domain controller.

13. The vehicle of claim 11 , wherein the controller is a vehicle controller, and the vehicle further comprises a plurality of systems, all of the systems sharing the vehicle controller.

Images