Active Suspension Damping With Movable Mass for EV Ride Vibration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Electric vehicles experience a rougher ride due to higher forces and vibrations from rigid suspension components and high tire pressures, leading to discomfort for occupants and potential impact on vehicle range.
Innovation Solution
An active damping system with sensors and actuators, controlled by a processor, that detects forces exceeding thresholds and adjusts movable masses to dampen vibrations, using electromagnetic actuators and considering vehicle speed, tire pressure, and weight for effective damping.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If suspension components are made relatively rigid to handle higher weight, then vehicle load bearing capacity is improved, but vibrations and forces in the frame increase leading to rougher ride
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses the harmful vibrations and forces generated by rigid suspension components as the input signal for active damping actuators. The same rigid components that transmit road shocks to the frame also provide the sensory feedback needed for the control system to generate counteracting forces, converting the harmful vibrations into useful control information.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces active damping actuators as intermediary elements between the rigid suspension components and the vehicle frame. These actuators serve as mediators that actively counteract the forces transmitted by the rigid suspension, protecting the frame and occupants from vibrations while maintaining the structural integrity provided by rigid components.
2Strength
If tires are inflated at relatively high pressure, then vehicle load bearing capacity is improved, but vibrations and forces in the frame increase leading to rougher ride
Solution Approach 1:
The high tire pressure that generates harmful vibrations also provides firm road contact and responsive feedback. The patent utilizes these vibrations as control inputs for the active damping system, converting the harsh input from high-pressure tires into actionable data for generating counteracting damping forces.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces passive mechanical vibration isolation (which would require soft, compliant tires and suspension) with an active electromagnetic damping system. This substitution allows the use of high-pressure tires for load bearing while using electromagnetic actuators to actively cancel the resulting vibrations, decoupling the load-bearing function from the vibration-transmission function.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If sensors and actuators are added to damp vibrations, then ride comfort is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs sensors and control systems that serve multiple functions: they monitor vehicle dynamics for active damping, provide feedback for suspension control, and can potentially interface with other vehicle systems. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate dedicated systems, thereby limiting the increase in overall device complexity despite adding active damping capabilities.
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 system significantly reduces vibrations and noise, providing a smoother ride and potentially increasing vehicle range by actively managing forces and vibrations within the vehicle frame.
Implementation Method 1
The first actuator includes a wire coil and an armature, and when electricity is provided to the wire coil, the armature is displaced by an electromagnetic field of the first actuator
Data Source
AI summary
An active damping system for an electric motor driven vehicle having spaced apart front wheels coupled to the vehicle by suspension components, includes a first sensor, a first actuator and a controller. The first sensor is coupled to one or both of a first front wheel or a suspension assembly for the first front wheel, and the first sensor provides an output indicative of a force on a component to which the first sensor is coupled. The first actuator is coupled to the vehicle and has a movable mass driven by the first actuator. The controller is configured to receive the output from the first sensor and the controller is configured, in response to at least an output from the first sensor that is beyond a threshold, to provide an output to the first actuator to displace the movable mass and at least partially damp vibrations in the vehicle.