Air Spring Suspension Control for Ride Height Stability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle suspension systems with air springs face challenges in actively controlling and adjusting spring rates and ride heights to maintain optimal ride comfort and performance, particularly in varying conditions such as different vehicle loads and terrain.
Innovation Solution
A suspension system with air spring assemblies equipped with pressure sensors, suspension position sensors, and a controller that adjusts air mass based on pressure and length data to maintain target ride heights and corner forces, taking into account vehicle acceleration, steering angle, and aerodynamic forces, thereby optimizing ride quality and weight distribution.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If air spring pressure is increased to maintain ride height, then ride height stability is improved, but ride comfort deteriorates due to increased stiffness
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts air spring characteristics by varying air mass and pressure in real-time based on vehicle operating conditions. The controller modifies air spring stiffness dynamically rather than maintaining a fixed high pressure, allowing the system to adapt to different road conditions and vehicle loads while maintaining ride height stability and comfort.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes physical parameters of the air spring by controlling air mass and pressure levels. The controller adjusts these parameters based on feedback from sensors monitoring ride height, pressure, and vehicle acceleration, enabling optimal balance between ride height stability and ride comfort under varying conditions.
2Ease of operation
If multiple sensors and control mechanisms are added to actively control spring rates and ride heights, then ride comfort and performance control are improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The air spring assembly integrates multiple functions into a single system component. The same air spring and air mass control mechanism that maintain ride height also control spring rates and corner forces, eliminating the need for separate active spring rate adjustment mechanisms and reducing overall system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system employs feedback control using sensors that monitor ride height, air spring pressure, and vehicle acceleration. The controller processes this feedback information and adjusts air mass to multiple air springs accordingly, enabling active control of ride comfort and performance without requiring complex open-loop control systems.
3Productivity
If air mass is varied to adjust spring rates, then vehicle performance is improved, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses periodic or on-demand air mass adjustment rather than continuous operation. The controller varies air mass only when performance adjustments are needed based on vehicle acceleration, steering angle, and ride height feedback, allowing the air springs to maintain performance characteristics while minimizing energy consumption during steady-state operation.
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 effectively adjusts air spring mass to maintain target ride heights and corner forces, improving ride comfort and handling by actively responding to changes in vehicle load and terrain, ensuring optimal vehicle performance and stability.
Implementation Method 1
The air springs may include an airbag that receives pressurized air to change a spring rate of the air suspension
Implementation Method 2
a pressure sensor to monitor a pressure of the air spring
Implementation Method 3
a suspension position sensor to monitor a total length of the air spring
Data Source
AI summary
A suspension system for a vehicle includes a plurality of air spring assemblies, each having an air spring, and a suspension position sensor; and a controller. The controller is programmed to determine corner forces associated with each air spring of the plurality of air spring assemblies based on a pressure provided by a pressure sensor and an effective area of each air spring of the plurality of air spring assemblies based on a total length provided by the suspension position sensor, according to a target total length of each air spring.