Air Spring Level Control Suppression During Loading
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electronically controllable air spring systems in vehicles face challenges during loading and unloading operations, as they can cause damage to forklift trucks and irritate drivers due to sudden height adjustments, and existing solutions require manual specification of loading/unloading procedures or complex signal filtering.
Innovation Solution
A method that monitors vehicle velocity and pressure differences in air springs to suppress level control procedures during loading/unloading, using predetermined pressure limit differences to determine when to temporarily halt adjustments, thereby avoiding damage and mimicking the behavior of vehicles with steel springs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the air spring system performs level control procedures to maintain desired chassis height, then the driving comfort is improved and chassis orientation is maintained, but damage may occur to forklift trucks during loading operations and drivers may be irritated during unloading operations
Solution Approach 1:
The control module detects loading and unloading procedures in advance by monitoring characteristic pressure changes in the air springs before level control procedures would be triggered. By identifying these procedures preliminarily through pressure deviation analysis, the system can suppress inappropriate level control actions before they occur, preventing damage to forklift trucks and avoiding driver irritation while maintaining chassis stability during critical operations
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the level control procedure is suppressed during loading and unloading, then damage to forklift trucks is avoided and driver irritation is reduced, but the chassis height may deviate from the desired specification
Solution Approach 1:
The control module dynamically adjusts the suppression of level control procedures based on real-time pressure monitoring. During loading and unloading procedures, the system suppresses level control only when characteristic pressure deviations are detected, while allowing level control to operate normally when no such procedures are detected. This dynamic approach ensures chassis height specification is maintained whenever possible while preventing harmful actions during critical operations
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
This approach allows for safe and reliable operation during loading/unloading by preventing unnecessary height adjustments, reducing the risk of damage to forklift trucks and ensuring a smooth experience for drivers accustomed to conventional vehicles.
Implementation Method 1
providing compressed air at a specific air pressure from a pressure source that is connected to the air springs
Implementation Method 2
a specific bellows volume for each individual wheel is set in the air springs in order to raise or lower the chassis
Data Source
AI summary
A method for operating an electronically controllable air spring system having air springs includes ascertaining a vehicle velocity of a vehicle and performing a procedure of monitoring a loading procedure and/or a procedure of monitoring an unloading procedure if the vehicle velocity indicates that the vehicle is at a standstill. The method further includes suppressing a level control procedure via the air spring system for a determined time period if at least one pressure difference that is allocated to the air springs exceeds the respective loading pressure limit difference or undercuts the unloading pressure difference and/or a loading criterion or an unloading criterion are met.