Active Suspension for Ballistic Load Stability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current tyred vehicles are not designed to safely transport and control heavy ballistic loads, such as torpedoes, over uneven terrain or in marine conditions, as their rigid or semi-rigid suspensions fail to maintain the load's position and lack control functionality.
Innovation Solution
An electric tyred vehicle equipped with an elastic damping assembly and an electronic command and control unit, which includes pressure sensors, actuators, and communication modules to stabilize the load and control its operation, allowing for safe transport and deployment of heavy ballistic loads on land and in water.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If rigid or semi-rigid suspensions are used in conventional vehicles, then the vehicle structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but the vehicle cannot maintain the ballistic load in a safe position during transport over uneven terrain or in marine conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The suspension system transitions from a static rigid or semi-rigid structure to a dynamic active control system. The hydraulic cylinders are equipped with pressure sensors and actuators that continuously adjust the suspension characteristics in real-time to maintain load stability despite terrain variations or sea motion, resolving the contradiction between simplicity and reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
Pressure sensors integrated into the hydraulic suspension system provide continuous feedback on the mechanical state and load position. This feedback is processed by the electronic control unit, which commands actuators to adjust the hydraulic pressure and maintain optimal load positioning, thereby achieving reliable load stability through a controlled feedback mechanism.
2Adaptability or versatility
If conventional vehicles are used to transport ballistic loads, then the vehicle can operate on simple flat routes, but the vehicle lacks the capability to control or command specific functions of the transported ballistic load
Solution Approach 1:
The vehicle is equipped with an electronic command and control unit that provides multi-functional capabilities. This single control system performs both suspension management and ballistic load operation control, enabling the vehicle to adapt to different operational requirements (transport, positioning, and load activation) without requiring separate specialized systems for each function.
Solution Approach 2:
The control functions for suspension management and ballistic load operation are merged into a single integrated electronic command and control unit. This consolidation allows the vehicle to control both the transport platform and the ballistic load through one unified system, achieving versatility while managing complexity through integration rather than multiplication of separate systems.
3Reliability
If conventional hydraulic suspensions are used, then the suspension system is simple in structure, but it does not permit keeping the ballistic load in a safe position when the vehicle encounters humps, depressions, or rough sea conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The passive mechanical suspension system is replaced with an active electro-hydraulic control system. Instead of relying solely on mechanical properties of the suspension components, the system uses electronic sensors and actuators to actively control the hydraulic pressure, providing reliable load safety maintenance through electronic-mechanical integration rather than pure mechanical means.
Solution Approach 2:
Pressure sensors act as intermediaries between the mechanical suspension system and the electronic control unit. These sensors translate mechanical pressure changes into electrical signals that the control unit can process, enabling the electronic system to respond to and control the mechanical suspension state, thereby maintaining load safety through this intermediary measurement and control mechanism.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The vehicle effectively maintains the stability and control of heavy ballistic loads on uneven terrain and in marine environments, enabling safe and reliable transportation and operation of torpedoes, including underwater launch capabilities.
Implementation Method 1
elastic damping assembly coupled to the loading platform
Implementation Method 2
elastic damping assembly coupled to the loading platform
Implementation Method 3
plurality of wheels, each of which is connected to the frame by an associated suspension comprising a hydraulic cylinder
Data Source
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AI summary
A vehicle (1) for supporting a ballistic load (25), comprising a control system (35) for said ballistic load that includes: a processing unit (36); a ballistic interface module (56), configured to communicate ballistic configuration parameters to said ballistic load; a trigger module (42, 52, 56), configured to activate said ballistic load; and a first communication module (60; 62) configured to communicate with the processing unit. The processing unit is configured to receive ballistic configuration parameters and the activation command of the ballistic load from the communication module and send them, via a data bus (70), to the ballistic interface module (56) and to the trigger module (52), respectively.