Bearing, actuator, suspension assembly, and vehicle

Abstract

A bearing, an actuator, a suspension assembly, and a vehicle. A feed port is provided on an outer surface of the bearing. The feed port is in communication with an inner wall of the bearing. A lubricating medium is configured to enter the inner wall of the bearing via the feed port.

Description

Bearings, actuators, suspension assemblies and vehicles

[0001] This application claims priority to Chinese patent application No. 202422083566.7, filed on August 26, 2024, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0002] This disclosure relates to the field of automotive technology, and more particularly to a bearing, actuator, suspension assembly, and vehicle. Background Technology

[0003] Cars encounter various road conditions while driving. To ensure the car chassis is not damaged, the distance between the chassis and the road surface needs to be adjusted according to different road conditions. This adjustment is typically achieved by extending and retracting an actuator in the vertical direction. Summary of the Invention

[0004] This disclosure provides a bearing, actuator, suspension assembly, and vehicle. When the bearing is used and is fitted onto the center rod, lubricating medium can be supplied to the inner wall of the bearing through the bearing's inlet, thereby ensuring sufficient lubricating medium on the contact surface between the bearing and the center rod, and thus ensuring the lubrication effect between the bearing and the center rod.

[0005] In a first aspect, a bearing is provided, wherein at least one feed port is provided on the outer surface of the bearing, the at least one feed port being in communication with the inner wall of the bearing, and a lubricating medium is adapted to enter the inner wall of the bearing through the at least one feed port.

[0006] In some embodiments, the inner wall of the bearing is provided with at least one oil reservoir, and the at least one feed inlet is connected to the at least one oil reservoir.

[0007] In some embodiments, the at least one oil reservoir is a groove.

[0008] In some embodiments, the groove extends circumferentially along the bearing.

[0009] In some embodiments, the groove is a closed annular groove.

[0010] In some embodiments, the at least one oil storage section includes a plurality of oil storage sections, the plurality of oil storage sections being a plurality of grooves, the plurality of grooves being spaced apart.

[0011] In some embodiments, the plurality of grooves are arranged at equal intervals along the axial direction of the bearing.

[0012] In some embodiments, the at least one feed port includes a plurality of feed ports, which are arranged along the axial direction of the bearing and correspond one-to-one with the plurality of grooves.

[0013] In some embodiments, the bearing is a sliding bearing.

[0014] In a second aspect, an actuator is provided, the actuator comprising a first component and a second component movable relative to each other along the actuator axial direction, a bearing being disposed between the first component and the second component, the inner wall of the bearing being slidably engaged with the first component, and the outer wall of the bearing being connected to the second component.

[0015] In some embodiments, the first component includes a center rod, and the second component includes a housing. The housing has a bearing mounting portion. The bearing is embedded in the bearing mounting portion, and the outer wall of the bearing abuts against the inner wall of the bearing mounting portion. The center rod is inserted into the bearing, and the inner wall of the bearing slides against the outer surface of the center rod.

[0016] In some embodiments, the side wall of the bearing mounting portion is provided with a through feed hole, which communicates with the at least one feed inlet.

[0017] In some embodiments, the housing is provided with a discharge port.

[0018] In some embodiments, the discharge port and the feed hole are respectively disposed at both ends of the housing along the axial direction of the housing.

[0019] In some embodiments, the actuator further includes a sealing assembly connected to the end face of the bearing mounting portion, the sealing assembly being arranged circumferentially around the center rod and abutting against the circumferential surface of the center rod.

[0020] In some embodiments, the sealing assembly includes a seal holder and a seal, the seal being fitted to the inner wall of the seal holder and fitted onto the center rod and abutting against the center rod.

[0021] In some embodiments, the actuator further includes a connector, the seal holder is provided with a first connection hole, the housing is provided with a second connection hole, and the connector passes through the first connection hole and the second connection hole to connect the seal holder to the housing.

[0022] In some embodiments, the inner wall of the seal holder is provided with an annular limiting groove, and the seal is located within the annular limiting groove.

[0023] In some embodiments, the center rod is provided with a limiting protrusion, and the inner wall of the housing is provided with a locking part at the bearing mounting part, wherein the limiting protrusion abuts against or separates from the locking part.

[0024] In some embodiments, the limiting protrusion is a limiting plate, and the surface of the limiting plate is perpendicular to the axis of the central rod.

[0025] In some embodiments, a guide member is provided on the side of the housing opposite to the bearing mounting portion, and a sliding member is provided between the center rod and the guide member.

[0026] In some embodiments, the central rod has a cavity along its own axis, the guide is a guide rod inserted into the cavity, and the sliding member is sandwiched between the inner wall of the central rod and the outer wall of the guide rod.

[0027] In some embodiments, the center rod extends into the interior of the housing;

[0028] The actuator further includes a permanent magnet assembly and a coil assembly, one of which is connected to the central rod, and the other of which is connected to the housing.

[0029] Thirdly, a suspension assembly is provided, the suspension assembly including the actuator described in the second aspect.

[0030] In some embodiments, the suspension assembly further includes a lubricating medium container and a circulating power unit, the circulating power unit being connected to the lubricating medium container;

[0031] The lubricating medium container is provided with an output port and a return port. The output port is connected to the feed hole, and the return port is connected to the discharge port.

[0032] Fourthly, a vehicle is provided, the vehicle comprising one of the following: the bearing described in the first aspect, the actuator described in the second aspect, or the suspension assembly described in the third aspect.

[0033] Compared with related technologies, the beneficial effects of this disclosure are at least as follows:

[0034] Because the feed port is configured to guide the added lubricating medium from the outer surface of the bearing to the inner wall of the bearing, when the bearing is fitted onto the center rod and slides relative to the center rod along its own axis, if the lubricating medium at the contact surface between the bearing and the center rod decreases during relative sliding, lubricating medium can be promptly added from the outer surface of the bearing to the inner wall of the bearing through the feed port. This ensures that the lubricating medium at the contact surface between the bearing and the center rod remains sufficient throughout the relative sliding process, thus guaranteeing good lubrication at the contact surface. This reduces the friction between the bearing and the center rod at the contact surface, thereby reducing wear caused by friction and extending the service life of both the bearing and the center rod. Attached Figure Description

[0035] The accompanying drawings, which form part of this disclosure, are used to provide a further understanding of this disclosure. The illustrative embodiments of this disclosure and their descriptions are used to explain this disclosure and do not constitute an undue limitation of this disclosure. In the drawings:

[0036] Figure 1 is a structural diagram of a bearing according to some embodiments;

[0037] Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of the bearing in Figure 1 after it has been cut by a plane passing through its own axis;

[0038] Figure 3 is a structural diagram of an actuator according to some embodiments;

[0039] Figure 4 is a structural diagram of the sealing assembly in Figure 3;

[0040] Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view of the sealing component in Figure 4 after it has been cut by a plane passing through its own axis.

[0041] Figure 6 is a three-dimensional view of the actuator in Figure 3;

[0042] Figure 7 is a structural diagram of the main shell shown in Figure 6;

[0043] Figure 8 is a structural diagram of the central rod in Figure 6;

[0044] Figure 9 is a partial structural diagram of a suspension assembly according to some embodiments;

[0045] Figure 10 is a block diagram of a suspension assembly according to some embodiments;

[0046] Figure 11 is a block diagram of a vehicle according to some embodiments;

[0047] Figure 12 is a block diagram of another vehicle according to some embodiments; and

[0048] Figure 13 is a block diagram of yet another vehicle according to some embodiments.

[0049] Reference numerals: 1000-Vehicle, 101-Suspension assembly, 1-Bearing, 12-Oil reservoir, 13-Inlet, 2-Center rod, 21-Circumferential limiting protrusion, 22-Axial limiting protrusion, 23-Upper sliding section, 24-Lower mounting section, 25-Outlet hole, 26-Limiting protrusion, 3-Housing, 31-Bearing mounting section, 32-Inlet hole, 33-Outlet, 35-Main housing, 36-Lower fork arm, 37-Second connecting hole, 38-Locking part, 39-Guide, 4-Sealed cavity, 5-Lubricating medium container, 51-Outlet, 52-Return port, 6-Circulating power unit, 7-Sealing assembly, 71-Sealing retainer, 711-Annular limiting groove, 712-First connecting hole, 72-Sealing element, 8-Permanent magnet assembly, 9-Coil assembly, 10-Connector. 11-Slider, 16-First component, 17-Second component, 100-Actuator. Detailed Implementation

[0050] The technical solutions of the embodiments of this disclosure will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some, not all, of the embodiments of this disclosure. Based on the embodiments of this disclosure, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this disclosure.

[0051] The terms "first," "second," etc., used in this disclosure and in the claims are used to distinguish similar objects and not to describe a specific order or sequence. It should be understood that such use of data can be interchanged where appropriate so that embodiments of this disclosure can be implemented in orders other than those illustrated or described herein, and the objects distinguished by "first," "second," etc., are generally of the same class and the number of objects is not limited; for example, a first object can be one or more. Furthermore, in the specification and claims, "and / or" indicates at least one of the connected objects, and the character " / " generally indicates that the preceding and following objects are in an "or" relationship.

[0052] It should be understood that the phrase "some embodiments" throughout the specification means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic related to an embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of this disclosure. Therefore, "some embodiments" appearing throughout the specification does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment. Furthermore, these particular features, structures, or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments.

[0053] In related technologies, the width of the gas gap formed radially between the outer peripheral surface of the actuator coil assembly and the inner peripheral surface of the permanent magnet assembly is uneven along the axial direction of the central rod. This results in a significant magnetic attraction between the coil assembly and the permanent magnet assembly, perpendicular to the axial direction of the central rod. Consequently, under the action of this magnetic attraction, a large pressure is generated between the central rod and the bearings of the housing, which in turn increases the friction between the two bearings and the central rod, thus increasing wear on both bearings and the central rod. To solve this problem, a lubricating medium is typically filled between the two bearings and the central rod to reduce the aforementioned friction.

[0054] However, since relative motion is required between the bearing and the center rod, a relatively static closed space cannot be formed. As a result, the lubricating medium gradually decreases during the relative motion between the bearing and the center rod and is difficult to replenish in time, which weakens the lubrication effect. Therefore, it weakens the extension and retraction performance of the actuator and reduces the service life of the actuator.

[0055] To address the aforementioned issues, the following provides a detailed description of some embodiments of a bearing 1, an actuator 100, a suspension assembly 101, and a vehicle 1000.

[0056] Figure 1 is a structural diagram of a bearing 1 according to some embodiments, Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of the bearing 1 in Figure 1 after being cut by a plane passing through its own axis, and Figure 3 is a structural diagram of an actuator 100 according to some embodiments.

[0057] Referring to Figures 1, 2 and 3, the outer surface of the bearing 1 is provided with at least one feed port 13, which communicates with the inner wall of the bearing 1, and the lubricating medium is suitable to enter the inner wall of the bearing 1 through the at least one feed port 13.

[0058] In some embodiments, since the feed port 13 is configured to introduce the added lubricating medium from the outer surface of the bearing 1 to the inner wall of the bearing 1, when the bearing 1 is fitted onto the center rod 2 and slides relative to the center rod 2 along its own axial direction, once the lubricating medium at the contact surface between the bearing 1 and the center rod 2 decreases during the relative sliding process, lubricating medium can be added from the outer surface of the bearing 1 to the inner wall of the bearing 1 through the feed port 13 in a timely manner. This ensures that the lubricating medium at the contact surface between the bearing 1 and the center rod 2 remains sufficient during the relative sliding process, thereby ensuring good lubrication at the contact surface. This reduces the friction between the bearing 1 and the center rod 2 at the contact surface, thereby reducing the wear caused by friction and extending the service life of the bearing 1 and the center rod 2.

[0059] It should be noted that the cross-section of the bearing 1 perpendicular to its own axis can be circular, rectangular, or polygonal, or other shapes, and this disclosure does not limit this. Correspondingly, the cross-sectional shape of the central rod 2 along its own axis is the same as that of the bearing 1.

[0060] It should also be noted that the material of the bearing 1 mentioned above can be metal or plastic, or other materials, and this disclosure does not limit it.

[0061] It should also be noted that the aforementioned feed port 13 can be formed by directly opening a hole on the outer surface of the bearing 1. The shape of any one of the feed ports 13 can be circular, rectangular, or other shapes, and this disclosure does not limit this. In addition, in order to facilitate the addition of lubricating medium, a feeding pipe can be provided outside the feed port 13.

[0062] It should also be noted that the above-mentioned lubricating medium can be semi-solid grease or liquid engine oil, or other types of lubricating medium, and this disclosure does not limit it.

[0063] It should also be noted that the lubricating medium can be added to the feed inlet 13 by manual addition, mechanical extrusion, or other methods, and this disclosure does not limit this.

[0064] In some embodiments, referring to Figures 1, 2 and 3, the inner wall of the bearing 1 is provided with at least one oil reservoir 12, and at least one feed inlet 13 is connected to at least one oil reservoir 12.

[0065] In some embodiments, the oil reservoir 12 can contain the lubricating medium injected into the inner wall of the bearing 1 through the feed port 13, so that the inner wall of the bearing 1 can store more lubricating medium, so that the lubricating medium at the contact surface between the bearing 1 and the center rod 2 is more sufficient during the relative sliding process of the bearing 1 and the center rod 2, thereby improving the lubrication effect at the contact surface, reducing the friction between the bearing 1 and the center rod 2 at the contact surface, and thus reducing the wear caused by friction between the bearing 1 and the center rod 2.

[0066] It should be noted that the oil storage section 12 mentioned above can be a strip-shaped oil storage section 12 or a dot-shaped oil storage section 12. When the oil storage section 12 is a dot-shaped oil storage section 12, the oil storage section 12 can be a circular oil storage section 12 or a rectangular oil storage section 12. This disclosure does not limit it in this way.

[0067] In some embodiments, referring to Figures 1, 2 and 3, at least one oil reservoir 12 is a groove.

[0068] In some embodiments, since the center rod 2 slides relative to the bearing 1 along its own axial direction, the oil reservoir 12 is configured as a groove. This allows the inner wall of the bearing 1 to store more lubricating medium, which is beneficial for the outer surface of the center rod 2 to come into contact with more lubricating medium during sliding. This enhances the lubrication effect at the contact surface, thereby reducing the friction between the bearing 1 and the center rod 2 at the contact surface and reducing the loss caused by friction. Therefore, it can extend the service life of the bearing 1 and the center rod 2.

[0069] In some embodiments, referring to Figures 1, 2 and 3, the groove extends circumferentially along the bearing 1.

[0070] In some embodiments, since the center rod 2 slides relative to the bearing 1 along its own axial direction, the groove extends along the circumference of the bearing 1, which can increase the contact area between the outer surface of the center rod 2 and the lubricating medium. This is beneficial for the outer surface of the center rod 2 to come into contact with more lubricating medium during the sliding process, thereby enhancing the lubrication effect at the contact surface. As a result, the friction between the bearing 1 and the center rod 2 at the contact surface is reduced, thereby reducing the loss caused by friction between the two.

[0071] In some embodiments, referring to Figures 1, 2 and 3, the groove is a closed annular groove.

[0072] In some embodiments of this disclosure, since the groove is a closed annular groove, when the center rod 2 slides relative to the bearing 1 along its own axial direction, the entire outer circumferential surface of the center rod 2 around its own axis can contact the lubricating medium, so that the entire outer circumferential surface of the center rod 2 can be effectively lubricated, thereby reducing the wear caused by friction on all parts of the entire outer circumferential surface of the center rod 2, thus extending the service life of the bearing 1 and the center rod 2.

[0073] It should be noted that the plane containing the aforementioned closed annular groove may or may not be perpendicular to the axis of bearing 1, and this disclosure does not limit this.

[0074] In some embodiments, referring to Figures 1, 2, and 3, at least one oil reservoir 12 includes multiple oil reservoirs 12, which are multiple grooves spaced apart. Thus, when the center rod 2 slides relative to the bearing 1 along its own axial direction, the same position on the entire outer circumferential surface of the center rod 2 around its own axis can repeatedly contact the lubricating medium during the relative sliding process between the center rod 2 and the bearing 1. This allows more lubricating medium to adhere to the outer circumferential surface of the center rod 2, thereby improving the lubrication effect at the contact surface and reducing the wear caused by friction between the bearing 1 and the center rod 2, thus extending the service life of both the bearing 1 and the center rod 2.

[0075] It should be noted that the number of grooves can be two, three, or other numbers; this disclosure does not limit this. Generally speaking, the more grooves there are, the better the lubrication effect at the contact surface.

[0076] In some embodiments, referring to Figures 1, 2, and 3, multiple grooves are evenly spaced along the axial direction of the bearing 1. This ensures that when the center rod 2 slides relative to the bearing 1 along its own axial direction, the contact points between the outer circumferential surface of the center rod 2 and the lubricating medium are more uniformly distributed. This results in a more uniform thickness of the lubricating oil film adhering to the outer circumferential surface of the center rod 2, improving the lubrication effect at the contact surface. Consequently, it reduces the wear caused by friction between the bearing 1 and the center rod 2, extending the service life of both the bearing 1 and the center rod 2.

[0077] In some embodiments, referring to Figures 1, 2 and 3, at least one feed port 13 includes a plurality of feed ports 13, which are arranged along the axial direction of the bearing 1 and correspond one-to-one with a plurality of grooves.

[0078] In this way, compared with the solution of setting only one feed port 13, adding lubricating medium into the groove through multiple feed ports 13 is more efficient, and the amount of lubricating medium that can be added in the same amount of time is greater, thus improving the efficiency of adding lubricating medium.

[0079] Since multiple feed ports 13 correspond one-to-one with multiple grooves, lubricating medium can be added to the corresponding groove individually through each feed port 13. This allows for more precise control of the amount of lubricating medium in each groove, ensuring that the amount of lubricating medium is evenly distributed along the axial direction of the bearing 1, thus improving the lubrication effect. Furthermore, because the amount of lubricating medium in each groove can be precisely controlled, waste of lubricating medium is avoided, thus saving lubricating medium. Next, since the multiple feed ports 13 are evenly spaced along the axial direction of the bearing 1, they correspond perfectly to the multiple equally spaced grooves, and this even spacing of the multiple feed ports 13 makes the bearing 1 more aesthetically pleasing.

[0080] Some embodiments of this disclosure also provide an actuator 100, as shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3. The actuator 100 includes a first component 16 and a second component 17 that can move relative to each other along the axial direction of the actuator 100. A bearing 1 is disposed between the first component 16 and the second component 17. The inner wall of the bearing 1 is slidably engaged with the first component 16, and the outer wall of the bearing 1 is fixedly connected to the second component 17.

[0081] In some embodiments, since the inner wall of bearing 1 is slidably fitted with the first component 16 and the outer wall of bearing 1 is fixedly connected to the second component 17, when the first component 16 slides relative to the second component 17, if the lubricating medium on the inner wall of bearing 1 decreases during the relative sliding process, lubricating medium can be added to the inner wall of bearing 1 from the outer surface of bearing 1 through the feed port 13 in a timely manner. This ensures that the lubricating medium at the contact surface between bearing 1 and the first component 16 remains sufficient during the relative sliding process, thus guaranteeing good lubrication at the contact surface. This reduces the friction between bearing 1 and the first component 16 at the contact surface, thereby reducing the wear caused by friction and extending the service life of bearing 1 and the first component 16, and consequently extending the service life of actuator 100.

[0082] In some embodiments, referring to Figures 1, 2, and 3, the first component 16 includes a central rod 2, and the second component 17 includes a housing 3. The housing 3 is provided with a bearing mounting portion 31. The bearing 1 is embedded in the bearing mounting portion 31, and the outer wall of the bearing 1 abuts against the inner wall of the bearing mounting portion 31. The central rod 2 is inserted into the bearing 1, and the inner wall of the bearing 1 slides against the outer surface of the central rod 2.

[0083] In some embodiments, since the center rod 2 is inserted into the bearing 1 and the inner wall of the bearing 1 slides with the outer surface of the center rod 2, when the bearing 1 slides relative to the center rod 2 along its own axial direction, if the lubricating medium at the contact surface between the bearing 1 and the center rod 2 decreases during the relative sliding process, lubricating medium can be added to the oil reservoir 12 from the outer wall of the bearing 1 through the feed port 13 in a timely manner. This ensures that the lubricating medium at the contact surface between the bearing 1 and the center rod 2 remains sufficient during the relative sliding process, thereby ensuring that the contact surface always has a good lubrication effect. This reduces the friction between the bearing 1 and the center rod 2 at the contact surface, thereby reducing the loss caused by friction and extending the service life of the bearing 1 and the center rod 2. Therefore, it can extend the service life of the actuator 100.

[0084] Furthermore, since the outer casing 3 is provided with a bearing mounting part 31, the bearing 1 is embedded in the bearing mounting part 31, and the outer wall of the bearing 1 abuts against the inner wall of the bearing mounting part 31, the connection between the bearing 1 and the outer casing 3 can be made more secure.

[0085] Understandably, the actuator 100 can achieve relative movement between the central rod 2 and the housing 3 through the relative movement of the central rod 2 relative to the bearing 1, thereby enabling the actuator 100 to extend or retract. When the central rod 2 is connected to the frame of the vehicle 1000 and the housing 3 is connected to the axle of the vehicle 1000, the distance between the frame and the axle can be adjusted by extending or retracting the actuator 100, thereby adjusting the distance between the chassis of the frame and the road surface. This allows the vehicle 1000 to better adapt to various road conditions, thus improving the user's driving experience.

[0086] It should be noted that the material of the aforementioned outer shell 3 can be iron, copper, or an alloy, or other materials, and this disclosure does not limit it.

[0087] In some embodiments, referring to Figures 1-3 and 7, the side wall of the bearing mounting portion 31 is provided with a through feed hole 32, which communicates with at least one feed port 13.

[0088] In this way, lubricating medium can be added to the feed port 32, and then the lubricating medium can be transported to the oil storage section 12 through at least one feed port 13 to achieve a lubricating effect. This makes the operation of adding lubricating medium more convenient and improves the efficiency of adding lubricating medium.

[0089] In some embodiments, referring to Figures 1, 2 and 3, the outer casing 3 is provided with a discharge port 33.

[0090] In some embodiments, after the center rod 2 is inserted into the bearing 1, the housing 3, the bearing 1, and the center rod 2 enclose a sealed cavity 4, and there is a small gap at the contact surface between the center rod 2 and the bearing 1. When the housing 3 is provided with an outlet 33, a flow channel can be formed for the lubricating medium. It is understood that after the lubricating medium is added into the inlet hole 32, it will pass through the inlet 13, the oil reservoir 12, the gap at the contact surface between the center rod 2 and the bearing 1, and the sealed cavity 4 in sequence, and finally flow out from the housing 3 through the outlet 33. In this way, the lubricating medium can flow continuously in the above-mentioned flow channel, thereby allowing the lubricating medium in the oil reservoir 12 of the bearing 1 to be replenished in real time. This can improve the lubrication effect between the bearing 1 and the center rod 2, thus extending the service life of the bearing 1 and the center rod 2, and also extending the service life of the actuator 100.

[0091] It should also be noted that the above-mentioned feed hole 32 can be formed by directly opening a hole on the outer surface of the housing 3. The shape of the feed hole 32 can be circular, rectangular, or other shapes, and this disclosure does not limit it.

[0092] It should also be noted that the above-mentioned discharge port 33 can be formed by directly opening a hole on the outer surface of the outer shell 3. The shape of the discharge port 33 can be circular, rectangular, or other shapes, and this disclosure does not limit it.

[0093] In some embodiments, referring to Figures 1, 2 and 3, the discharge port 33 and the feed hole 32 are respectively disposed at both ends of the housing 3 along the axial direction of the housing 3.

[0094] Thus, when the actuator 100 is installed on the vehicle 1000, the center rod 2 is connected to the frame of the vehicle 1000, and the outer casing 3 is connected to the axle of the vehicle 1000. At this time, the discharge port 33 is located below the inlet port 32. Therefore, when the lubricating medium enters the oil reservoir 12 through the inlet port 32, it can flow downwards by its own gravity and finally flow out of the outer casing 3 from the discharge port 33.

[0095] With the above-described configuration, the lubricating medium can flow freely within the flow channel without relying on any driving force other than gravity, thus ensuring that the lubricating medium in the oil reservoir 12 of bearing 1 is replenished in real time. Compared to actively providing driving force to flow the lubricating medium, this reduces the energy consumption of vehicle 1000.

[0096] In some embodiments, referring to Figures 3, 4, and 5, the actuator 100 further includes a sealing assembly 7, which is fixedly connected to the end face of the bearing mounting portion 31. The sealing assembly 7 is arranged circumferentially around the central rod 2 and abuts against the circumferential surface of the central rod 2. In this way, the sealing assembly 7 can completely seal the gap between the central rod 2 and the bearing 1, thereby preventing the lubricating medium from leaking out of the housing 3 through the gap, thus reducing the loss of the lubricating medium. Furthermore, the sealing assembly 7 can also enhance the sealing performance of the housing 3, preventing pressure leakage of the lubricating medium during circulation, thus ensuring normal circulation of the lubricating medium.

[0097] In some embodiments, referring to Figures 3, 4 and 5, the sealing assembly 7 includes a sealing element retainer 71 and a sealing element 72. The sealing element 72 is fitted to the inner wall of the sealing element retainer 71, and the sealing element 72 is fitted and sleeved on the center rod 2 and abuts against the center rod 2.

[0098] In some embodiments, the seal 72 is a flexible sealing ring. The seal 72 is fitted against the inner wall of the seal holder 71 and is fitted and abuts against the center rod 2. Thus, the flexible sealing ring is sandwiched between the inner wall of the seal holder 71 and the outer circumferential surface of the center rod 2, and the flexible sealing ring is in interference contact with the seal holder 71. When the center rod 2 moves away from the housing 3 relative to the bearing 1, the lubricating medium adhering to the surface of the center rod 2 is intercepted by the flexible sealing ring, thereby preventing the lubricating medium from being carried out of the sealing cavity 4 by the center rod 2, thus reducing the loss of lubricating medium. Furthermore, the flexible sealing ring can enhance the sealing performance of the housing 3, preventing pressure leakage of the lubricating medium during circulation, thus ensuring normal circulation of the lubricating medium.

[0099] It should be noted that the aforementioned flexible sealing ring can be a rubber ring, a silicone ring, or a flexible sealing ring made of other materials, and this disclosure does not limit it.

[0100] In some embodiments, referring to Figures 3, 4, 5 and 7, the actuator 100 further includes a connector 10, the seal holder 71 is provided with a first connection hole 712, the housing 3 is provided with a second connection hole 37, and the connector 10 passes through the first connection hole 712 and the second connection hole 37 to fix the seal holder 71 and the housing 3 in a fixed connection.

[0101] In this way, the sealing element retainer 71 can be fixedly connected to the housing 3 through the first connecting hole 712, the second connecting hole 37 and the connector 10, thereby fixing the sealing component 7 to the housing 3. This prevents the sealing component 7 from detaching from the housing 3 during the sliding of the central rod 2, thus enhancing the sealing performance of the housing 3.

[0102] It should be noted that the first connecting hole 712 and the second connecting hole 37 mentioned above can be threaded holes, in which case the connector 10 is a bolt. Alternatively, the first connecting hole 712 and the second connecting hole 37 may not be threaded holes, in which case the connector 10 can be an anchor bolt.

[0103] In some embodiments, referring to Figures 3, 4, and 5, the inner wall of the seal holder 71 is provided with an annular limiting groove 711, and the seal 72 is located within the annular limiting groove 711. Thus, the annular limiting groove 711 can prevent the flexible sealing ring from changing position relative to the bearing 1 during sliding, thereby preventing the flexible sealing ring from slipping off the inner wall of the seal holder 71, thus improving the reliability of the sealing assembly 7.

[0104] It should be noted that the flexible sealing ring can be placed directly in the annular limiting groove 711 or it can be bonded to the annular limiting groove 711. This disclosure does not limit it in this way.

[0105] In some embodiments, referring to Figures 1, 3 and 8, the center rod 2 is provided with a limiting protrusion 26, and the inner wall of the outer casing 3 is provided with a locking part 38 at the bearing mounting part 31. The limiting protrusion 26 abuts against or separates from the locking part 38.

[0106] In this way, when the center rod 2 slides outward to a certain position, the limiting protrusion 26 can abut against the locking part 38. This position is the farthest position where the center rod 2 slides outward, thus limiting the center rod 2 when it slides outward and ensuring that the center rod 2 will not detach from the outer shell 3 during the sliding process.

[0107] In some embodiments, referring to Figures 1, 3, and 8, the limiting protrusion 26 is a limiting plate, and the surface of the limiting plate is perpendicular to the axis of the central rod 2. Here, the surface of the limiting plate refers to the two side surfaces of the limiting plate along the thickness direction, that is, the two side surfaces of the limiting plate along the axial direction of the central rod 2.

[0108] It is understandable that by setting the limiting protrusion 26 as a limiting plate, compared to setting the limiting protrusion 26 as other shapes, when the limiting protrusion 26 abuts against the locking part 38, the contact area between the limiting protrusion 26 and the locking part 38 is larger, thereby enhancing the limiting effect of the locking part 38 on the limiting protrusion 26, and thus enhancing the limiting effect on the center rod 2.

[0109] It should be noted that the aforementioned limiting plate may be one piece or multiple pieces, and this disclosure does not limit this.

[0110] In some embodiments, referring to Figures 1, 3, and 8, a guide member 39 is provided on the side of the housing 3 opposite to the bearing mounting portion 31, and a sliding member 11 is provided between the center rod 2 and the guide member 39. That is, the center rod 2 is slidably connected to the guide member 39 through the sliding member 11. In this way, when the center rod 2 slides, the guide member 39 can play a guiding role, so that the center rod 2 can slide along a predetermined direction.

[0111] Furthermore, by providing a sliding member 11 between the center rod 2 and the guide member 39, compared to a solution without the sliding member 11, the friction between the center rod 2 and the guide member 39 can be reduced, thereby reducing the wear and tear on the center rod 2 caused by friction and extending the service life of the center rod 2.

[0112] In some embodiments, referring to Figures 1, 3 and 8, the central rod 2 is provided with a cavity along its own axis, the guide member 39 is a guide rod inserted into the cavity, and the sliding member 11 is clamped between the inner wall of the central rod 2 and the outer wall of the guide rod.

[0113] In this way, the guide rod can not only guide the sliding of the central rod 2, but also prevent the central rod 2 from displacing in the direction perpendicular to its own axis, thus limiting the sliding direction of the central rod 2.

[0114] It should be noted that the aforementioned sliding member 11 may be a bearing for sliding or a slider with a smooth surface, and this disclosure does not limit it.

[0115] In some embodiments, referring to FIG. 3, the central rod 2 extends into the interior of the housing 3. The actuator 100 also includes a permanent magnet assembly 8 and a coil assembly 9, one of which is connected to the central rod 2, and the other is connected to the housing 3. Thus, when the coil assembly 9 is energized, it generates a coil magnetic field. This magnetic field interacts with the magnetic field of the permanent magnet assembly 8, driving the coil assembly 9 to move relative to the permanent magnet assembly 8. This, in turn, causes the central rod 2 to slide relative to the housing 3, allowing the actuator 100 to extend or retract. Generally, the permanent magnet assembly 8 is connected to the housing 3, and the coil assembly 9 is connected to the central rod 2.

[0116] Referring to Figures 3, 6, 7, and 8, the actuator 100 in some embodiments of this disclosure includes: a housing 3, a bearing 1, and a central rod 2. The housing 3 has a bearing mounting portion 31. The bearing 1 is embedded in the bearing mounting portion 31, and the outer wall of the bearing 1 abuts against the inner wall of the bearing mounting portion 31. A through feed hole 32 is provided on the side wall of the bearing mounting portion 31, and the feed hole 32 communicates with the feed inlet 13. The central rod 2 is inserted into the bearing 1, and the inner wall of the bearing 1 abuts against the outer surface of the central rod 2. The central rod 2 extends into the interior of the housing 3. The actuator 100 also includes a permanent magnet assembly 8 and a coil assembly 9. The permanent magnet assembly 8 is connected to the inner wall of the housing 3 and arranged circumferentially along the housing 3, and the coil assembly 9 is connected to the outer peripheral surface of the central rod 2.

[0117] In some embodiments, to ensure a more secure connection between the coil assembly 9 and the central rod 2 and to prevent the coil assembly 9 from rotating around the central rod 2, a circumferential limiting protrusion 21 is provided at the connection between the central rod 2 and the coil assembly 9. The coil assembly 9 has a circumferential limiting groove at the corresponding connection point, and the circumferential limiting protrusion 21 can be accommodated within the circumferential limiting groove. To prevent the coil assembly 9 from sliding along the axial direction of the central rod 2, an axial limiting protrusion 22 is provided at the end of the coil assembly 9. The axial limiting protrusion 22 can apply pressure to one end of the coil assembly 9, thereby preventing the coil assembly 9 from sliding along the axial direction of the central rod 2. The section of the central rod 2 that can slide relative to the bearing 1 is the upper sliding section 23, and the section connected to the coil assembly 9 is the lower mounting section 24. The upper sliding section 23 and the lower mounting section 24 are separated by the axial limiting protrusion 22. The aforementioned circumferential limiting protrusion 21 and axial limiting protrusion 22 are one possible form of the limiting protrusion 26.

[0118] In some embodiments, to facilitate the lead wires of the coil assembly 9 out of the housing 3, the central rod 2 is hollowed out along its own axial direction, and a wire outlet hole 25 is provided on the central rod 2. The wire outlet hole 25 connects the outer peripheral surface and the inner peripheral surface of the central rod 2, so that the wire can extend into the hollowed-out part of the central rod 2 through the wire outlet hole 25, and then the wire can be led out of the housing 3 from the central rod 2. In addition, both ends of the central rod 2 are provided with threads.

[0119] In some embodiments, to prevent the sliding direction of the center rod 2 from deviating when it slides into the housing 3, a guide rod is provided on the housing 3 at a position opposite to the bearing mounting portion 31. The guide rod extends into the hollow portion of the center rod 2, thus providing guidance when the center rod 2 slides. To reduce friction between the guide rod and the inner wall of the center rod 2, a sliding member 11 is provided between the guide rod and the inner wall of the center rod 2. To facilitate the assembly and disassembly of the housing 3, the housing 3 includes a main housing 35 and a lower fork arm 36. The main housing 35 is cylindrical, and the lower fork arm 36 is threadedly connected to the side of the main housing 35 opposite to the bearing mounting portion 31. The guide rod is disposed on the lower fork arm 36.

[0120] In some embodiments, to ensure a more secure connection between the sealing assembly 7 and the end face of the bearing mounting portion 31, a plurality of threaded holes are provided on the end face of the bearing mounting portion 31, and the sealing assembly 7 is threadedly connected to these threaded holes. A spring seat support is also provided on the outer peripheral surface of the main housing 35, and this spring support is configured to connect to the spring.

[0121] Referring to Figures 3, 6, 7 and 8, the installation process of actuator 100 may include the following steps.

[0122] First, the lower end of the main housing 35 and the upper end of the lower fork arm 36 are fixed together by threaded connection to form the outer shell 3. Next, the center rod 2 is inserted into the outer shell 3, and the upper end of the center rod 2 is coaxially mounted to the upper end of the outer shell 3 via a bearing 1. Next, the lower end of the center rod 2 is coaxially mounted to the guide rod on the upper part of the lower fork arm 36, so that the outer shell 3 can reciprocate along the axial direction of the center rod 2. Next, the permanent magnet assembly 8 is fixedly mounted on the inner circumferential surface of the main housing 3, and the coil assembly 9 is coaxially fixed to the center rod 2. After the coil assembly 9 and the permanent magnet assembly 8 are installed, it is necessary to ensure that the outer circumferential surface of the coil assembly 9 and the inner circumferential surface of the permanent magnet assembly 8 have a uniform gap of 0.5 mm to 1.0 mm in the radial direction.

[0123] Some embodiments of this disclosure also provide a suspension assembly 101, as shown in Figures 1, 3, 9 and 10, the suspension assembly 101 including the aforementioned actuator 100.

[0124] Thus, when the bearing 1 is fitted onto the center rod 2 and slides relative to the center rod 2 along its own axis, if the lubricating medium at the contact surface between the bearing 1 and the center rod 2 decreases during the relative sliding process, lubricating medium can be promptly added from the outer wall of the bearing 1 to the oil reservoir 12 through the feed port 13. This ensures that the lubricating medium at the contact surface between the bearing 1 and the center rod 2 remains sufficient during the relative sliding process, thereby guaranteeing good lubrication at the contact surface. This reduces the friction between the bearing 1 and the center rod 2 at the contact surface, thus reducing the wear caused by friction and extending the service life of the bearing 1 and the center rod 2, which in turn extends the service life of the suspension assembly 101.

[0125] In some embodiments, referring to Figures 1, 3, and 9, the suspension assembly 101 further includes a lubricating medium container 5 and a circulating power unit 6, the circulating power unit 6 being connected to the lubricating medium container 5. The lubricating medium container 5 is provided with an outlet 51 and a return outlet 52, the outlet 51 being connected to the feed hole 32, and the return outlet 52 being connected to the discharge port 33.

[0126] In this way, the lubricating medium container 5, the aforementioned flow channel, and the circulating power device 6 form a complete circulation system, with the circulating power device 6 providing circulation power. Driven by the circulating power, the lubricating medium in the lubricating medium container 5 enters the feed hole 32 through the output port 51, then enters the feed port 13 of the bearing 1, then enters the gap between the contact surface of the center rod 2 and the bearing 1, then enters the sealing cavity 4, then enters the return port 52 through the discharge port 33, and finally flows back to the lubricating medium container 5 through the return port 52.

[0127] This circulation system continuously supplies lubricating medium to the oil reservoir 12 of bearing 1, and the lubricating medium flowing out from the outlet 33 can be recycled back to the lubricating medium container 5, allowing the lubricating medium to be reused and reducing its loss. Furthermore, since the circulation power unit 6 can provide stable driving pressure, the lubricating medium enters the oil reservoir 12 with a certain pressure, allowing the reservoir to be filled more fully and thus improving the lubrication effect between the center rod 2 and bearing 1.

[0128] It should be noted that the aforementioned circulating power device 6 may be a circulating pump or a pressure device, or other devices with the same function, and this disclosure does not limit it.

[0129] As shown in Figures 11 to 13, some embodiments of this disclosure also provide a vehicle 1000, which includes the aforementioned bearing 1, actuator 100, or suspension assembly 101.

[0130] When the aforementioned bearing 1, actuator 100, or suspension assembly 101 is installed on the vehicle 1000, the bearing 1 is sleeved on the center rod 2 and can slide relative to the center rod 2 along its own axis. If the lubricating medium at the contact surface between the bearing 1 and the center rod 2 decreases during the relative sliding process, lubricating medium can be added to the oil reservoir 12 from the outer wall of the bearing 1 through the feed port 13 in a timely manner. This ensures that the lubricating medium at the contact surface between the bearing 1 and the center rod 2 remains sufficient during the relative sliding process, thereby ensuring that the contact surface always has a good lubrication effect. This reduces the friction between the bearing 1 and the center rod 2 at the contact surface, thereby reducing the loss caused by friction. Therefore, it can extend the service life of the bearing 1 and the center rod 2, which in turn extends the service life of the vehicle 1000.

[0131] It should be noted that the aforementioned vehicle 1000 can be a sedan, SUV, or bus, or other types of vehicle 1000, and this disclosure does not limit it.

[0132] Finally, it should be noted that in this document, relational terms such as "first" and "second" are used only to distinguish one entity or operation from another, and do not necessarily require or imply any such actual relationship or order between these entities or operations. Furthermore, the terms "comprising," "including," or any other variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or terminal device that comprises a list of elements includes not only those elements but also other elements not expressly listed, or elements inherent to such a process, method, article, or terminal device. Without further limitations, an element defined by the phrase "comprising one..." does not exclude the presence of other identical elements in the process, method, article, or terminal device that includes said element.

[0133] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of this disclosure and is not intended to limit this disclosure. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of this disclosure should be included within the protection scope of this disclosure.

Claims

1. A bearing (1), wherein at least one feed port (13) is provided on the outer surface of the bearing (1), the at least one feed port (13) is in communication with the inner wall of the bearing (1), and a lubricating medium is adapted to enter the inner wall of the bearing (1) through the at least one feed port (13).

2. The bearing (1) according to claim 1, wherein, The inner wall of the bearing (1) is provided with at least one oil storage part (12), and the at least one feed port (13) is connected to the at least one oil storage part (12).

3. The bearing (1) according to claim 2, wherein, The at least one oil storage section (12) is a groove.

4. The bearing (1) according to claim 3, wherein, The groove extends circumferentially along the bearing (1).

5. The bearing (1) according to claim 4, wherein, The groove is a closed annular groove.

6. The bearing (1) according to any one of claims 3-5, wherein, The at least one oil storage section (12) includes a plurality of oil storage sections (12), which are a plurality of grooves, and the plurality of grooves are spaced apart.

7. The bearing (1) according to claim 6, wherein, The multiple grooves are arranged at equal intervals along the axial direction of the bearing (1).

8. The bearing (1) according to claim 6 or 7, wherein, The at least one feed port (13) includes multiple feed ports (13), which are arranged along the axial direction of the bearing (1) and correspond one-to-one with the multiple grooves.

9. The bearing (1) according to any one of claims 1-8, wherein, The bearing (1) is a sliding bearing.

10. An actuator (100) comprising a first component (16) and a second component (17) movable relative to each other along the axial direction of the actuator (100), wherein a bearing (1) according to any one of claims 1-9 is disposed between the first component (16) and the second component (17), wherein the inner wall of the bearing (1) is slidably engaged with the first component (16), and the outer wall of the bearing (1) is connected to the second component (17).

11. The actuator (100) according to claim 10, wherein, The first component (16) includes a center rod (2), and the second component (17) includes a housing (3); the housing (3) is provided with a bearing mounting part (31); the bearing (1) is embedded in the bearing mounting part (31), and the outer wall of the bearing (1) abuts against the inner wall of the bearing mounting part (31); the center rod (2) is inserted into the bearing (1), and the inner wall of the bearing (1) slides with the outer surface of the center rod (2).

12. The actuator (100) according to claim 11, wherein, The side wall of the bearing mounting part (31) is provided with a through feed hole (32), which is connected to the at least one feed port (13).

13. The actuator (100) according to claim 12, wherein, The outer shell (3) is provided with a discharge port (33).

14. The actuator (100) according to claim 13, wherein, Along the axial direction of the outer shell (3), the discharge port (33) and the feed hole (32) are respectively located at both ends of the outer shell (3).

15. The actuator (100) according to any one of claims 11-14 further includes a sealing assembly (7), the sealing assembly (7) being connected to the end face of the bearing mounting portion (31), the sealing assembly (7) being arranged circumferentially around the center rod (2) and abutting against the circumferential surface of the center rod (2).

16. The actuator (100) according to claim 15, wherein, The sealing assembly (7) includes a sealing element holder (71) and a sealing element (72). The sealing element (72) is attached to the inner wall of the sealing element holder (71) and is fitted onto the center rod (2) and abuts against the center rod (2).

17. The actuator (100) according to claim 16 further includes a connector (10), wherein the seal holder (71) is provided with a first connection hole (712), the housing (3) is provided with a second connection hole (37), and the connector (10) passes through the first connection hole (712) and the second connection hole (37) to connect the seal holder (71) to the housing (3).

18. The actuator (100) according to claim 16 or 17, wherein, The inner wall of the sealing element holder (71) is provided with an annular limiting groove (711), and the sealing element (72) is located in the annular limiting groove (711).

19. The actuator (100) according to any one of claims 11-18, wherein, The center rod (2) is provided with a limiting protrusion (26), and the inner wall of the outer shell (3) is provided with a locking part (38) at the bearing mounting part (31). The limiting protrusion (26) abuts against or separates from the locking part (38).

20. The actuator (100) according to claim 19, wherein, The limiting protrusion (26) is a limiting plate, and the surface of the limiting plate is perpendicular to the axis of the central rod (2).

21. The actuator (100) according to any one of claims 11-20, wherein, A guide member (39) is provided on the side of the outer shell (3) opposite to the bearing mounting part (31), and a sliding member (11) is provided between the center rod (2) and the guide member (39).

22. The actuator (100) according to claim 21, wherein, The central rod (2) has a cavity along its own axis. The guide member (39) is a guide rod inserted into the cavity. The sliding member (11) is sandwiched between the inner wall of the central rod (2) and the outer wall of the guide rod.

23. The actuator (100) according to any one of claims 11-22, wherein, The central rod (2) extends into the interior of the outer casing (3); The actuator (100) further includes a permanent magnet assembly (8) and a coil assembly (9), one of which is connected to the central rod (2), and the other of which is connected to the housing (3).

24. A suspension assembly (101) comprising an actuator (100) according to any one of claims 13-23.

25. The suspension assembly (101) according to claim 24 further includes a lubricating medium container (5) and a circulating power device (6), the circulating power device (6) being connected to the lubricating medium container (5); The outer shell (3) is provided with a discharge port (33); the lubricating medium container (5) is provided with an output port (51) and a return port (52), the output port (51) is connected to the feed hole (32), and the return port (52) is connected to the discharge port (33).

26. A vehicle (1000) comprising one of the following: The bearing (1) according to any one of claims 1-9; The actuator (100) according to any one of claims 10-23; or, The suspension assembly (101) according to any one of claims 24-25.

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