Air Spring Upper Support Pressure Balancing for Stiffness Stability
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Solution Overview
Problem
The service life of the upper support in an air spring assembly is affected due to the offset of its stiffness curve caused by the direct application of pressurized air, leading to uneven force distribution.
Innovation Solution
The upper support features a mounting through-cavity and an air passing channel that allows pressurized air to flow to its upper surface, balancing air pressure on both sides and preventing force imbalance, thereby maintaining the stiffness curve and prolonging the service life.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Force
If pressurized air directly applies force to the lower surface of the upper support, then the air spring assembly can generate sufficient lifting force, but the stiffness curve of the upper support becomes offset and service life is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The upper support is divided into an outer shell and an inner core module that can reciprocate relative to each other. The inner core module carries the piston rod while the outer shell receives pressurized air. This segmentation allows the force application point to be separated from the piston rod connection point, preventing direct force application to the upper support's lower surface and avoiding stiffness curve offset.
Solution Approach 2:
The inner core module acts as an intermediary between the pressurized air and the piston rod. It receives the force from pressurized air acting on its lower surface and transfers this force to the piston rod through their connection, rather than allowing the force to act directly on the upper support structure. This intermediary mechanism maintains force transmission while preserving the upper support's stiffness characteristics.
2Ease of manufacture
If the upper support structure is simplified to allow direct force application, then manufacturing cost is reduced, but force distribution becomes uneven and service life is affected
Solution Approach 1:
The upper support is segmented into an outer shell and an inner core module that can reciprocate relative to each other. The inner core module carries the piston rod while the outer shell receives pressurized air. This segmentation allows the force application point to be separated from the piston rod connection point, preventing direct force application to the upper support's lower surface and avoiding stiffness curve offset.
Solution Approach 2:
The inner core module acts as an intermediary between the pressurized air and the piston rod. It receives the force from pressurized air acting on its lower surface and transfers this force to the piston rod through their connection, rather than allowing the force to act directly on the upper support structure. This intermediary mechanism maintains force transmission while preserving the upper support's stiffness characteristics.
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 balanced air pressure distribution prevents the offset of the stiffness curve, resulting in a longer service life for the upper support by ensuring even force distribution and maintaining the assembly's operational efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
the elastic connector wraps at least a circumferential side wall of the core body to elastically connect the core body to the outer shell to enable the core body to reciprocate relative to the outer shell in an axial direction of the mounting through-cavity
Data Source
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AI summary
The disclosure relates to a vehicle, and an air spring assembly (10) and an upper support (300) thereof. By means of forming an air passing channel (330) in the upper support, pressurized air can flow to an upper surface (320) of the upper support, so as to achieve the balance of air pressure on two sides of the upper support and thus achieve the force balance to avoid receiving force on one side, thereby preventing offset of the stiffness curve of the upper support and prolonging the service life of the upper support.