Adjustable Air Suspension Shock with Rotatable Damper
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional air suspension systems in vehicles are preset to a specific weight accommodation level, resulting in nonsmooth and uncomfortable rides, particularly for elderly, overweight, or female riders, and combining air suspension with liquid damping leads to reliability issues due to leakage and contamination.
Innovation Solution
An adjustable air suspension shock system with a built-in rotatable damper device that allows for adjustable suspension height and stiffness, using an inflatable air spring or rubber/elastomeric airbag, a shock absorber, and a hydraulic damper, enabling the user to customize the ride based on weight, height, and preference, with the ability to raise or lower the rear shocks through full suspension travel.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If conventional air suspension systems are preset to a specific weight accommodation level, then the suspension structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but the ride comfort deteriorates for different riders (elderly, overweight, women)
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the suspension system adjustable rather than fixed. The air spring allows the suspension to dynamically adapt to different weight conditions and rider preferences, enabling transformation between soft and firm ride characteristics while maintaining a relatively simple overall structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameter of air pressure in the air spring to achieve different suspension characteristics. By adjusting the amount of air in the elastomeric tube, the system can accommodate different weight levels and ride preferences without changing the fundamental suspension structure, thus maintaining ease of manufacture while improving ride comfort.
2Reliability
If conventional air suspension systems use fixed air pressure, then the system is simple and reliable, but the ride becomes nonsmooth and uncomfortable
Solution Approach 1:
The system transitions from fixed to dynamic air pressure adjustment. The adjustable air spring allows riders to change the air pressure according to their weight and comfort preferences, creating a smooth and comfortable ride while maintaining system reliability through the robust elastomeric tube design and simple adjustment mechanism.
3Device complexity
If air suspension is combined with liquid damping in the same housing, then the device complexity is reduced, but reliability deteriorates due to leakage and contamination
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the air suspension system and liquid damping system into separate housings. The air spring operates in one housing while the shock absorber with liquid damping operates in another housing, eliminating the risk of leakage and contamination between the two systems while maintaining reasonable device complexity through coordinated design.
4Adaptability or versatility
If preset suspension is used for maximum weight accommodation, then the suspension can handle all weight levels, but the ride is harsh for lighter riders
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses parameter changes by adjusting the air pressure in the elastomeric tube to match different weight levels. Lighter riders can reduce the air pressure for a softer ride, while heavier riders can increase it for maximum weight accommodation, thus achieving both versatility and individualized comfort.
Solution Approach 2:
The system becomes dynamic and adaptable to different riders through adjustable air pressure. Rather than being fixed for maximum weight, the suspension can be tuned in real-time to match the actual load and rider preferences, ensuring comfort across the full weight range.
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 provides a smoother, more comfortable ride by allowing instant adjustment to specific driving conditions, improving handling and safety by accommodating individual weight and cargo, while minimizing air pressure requirements and preventing jerky handling.
Implementation Method 1
The adjustable air suspension shocks with built-in rotatable damper device, apparatus, system and method for all types of motor vehicle and motor cycles
Implementation Method 2
combining air suspension with liquid damping
Implementation Method 3
an inflatable air spring or rubber/elastomeric airbag
Data Source
AI summary
Adjustable air suspension shocks with rotatable damper assemblies, apparatus, systems and method for motor vehicles, such as automobiles, vans, trucks, off the road vehicles, motorcycles, the like. Deflating interior air springs/airbags (bladders) allows for pistons on shock absorbers to expand outward separating lower front and rear frame portions which effectively lowers the motor vehicle to the ground surface and for the driver to have a firmer ride. Inflating the airbags (bladders) allows for the pistons on the shock absorbers in the devices to retract so that devices have a more shock absorbing effect giving the driver and passenger(s) a smoother ride, which also raises the motor vehicles above the ground surface. A sleeve attached to the air shock allows for a damper assembly to rotate relative to the air shock so that it can be installed within mounting brackets where the axial mounting openings need not be perpendicular to one another.