Body Amplitude Sensitive Air Spring Valve Dynamics
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional air springs have a fixed spring constant, leading to a tradeoff between ride comfort and steering stability, where improving one characteristic worsens the other, as they cannot adapt to varying vehicle behaviors.
Innovation Solution
A body amplitude sensitive air spring with a valve structure that divides the inner space into fixed and variable chambers, adjusting the spring constant based on vehicle behavior by changing the chamber volume in response to body and wheel amplitudes, using a mechanism with a fixing plate, valve body, and elastic members to selectively connect or block chambers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a small spring constant is used to improve ride comfort, then ride comfort is improved but steering stability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The air spring system transitions from a fixed spring constant to a dynamic, adjustable spring constant. The chamber volume is variable through the air sleeve expansion and contraction, allowing the spring constant to be adjusted in real-time based on driving conditions, thus resolving the trade-off between ride comfort and steering stability
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the physical parameter of chamber volume to adjust the spring constant. By varying the amount of air in the air sleeve, the chamber volume changes, which directly alters the spring constant value, enabling adaptation between different operating conditions
2Ease of operation
If a fixed spring constant is set to improve one characteristic, then that characteristic is improved but the other characteristic is sacrificed
Solution Approach 1:
The invention introduces dynamic adjustability to the previously fixed spring constant system. The variable chamber volume enabled by the air sleeve allows the spring constant to change based on actual driving needs, eliminating the need to sacrifice one characteristic for the other
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 air spring dynamically adjusts its spring constant to enhance both ride comfort and steering stability according to situational vehicle behaviors, improving both characteristics simultaneously by varying the chamber volume in response to inertial movements.
Implementation Method 1
an elastic member installed between the fixing plate and the valve body, such that the elastic member separates the valve body from the fixing plate and keeps the through-hole in an open state when inertial is not applied
Implementation Method 2
a valve body installed in the fixing plate, such that the valve body closes the through-hole when inertia is applied; and an elastic member installed between the fixing plate and the valve body
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is an air spring for sensing a behavior of a vehicle and varying a spring constant by changing a chamber volume of the air spring, improving the ride comfort and the steering stability according to situations.An air spring installed in a vehicle to absorb shock from exterior includes: a first body fixed to a vehicle body side of the vehicle; a second body fixed to a wheel side of the vehicle; an air sleeve installed between the first body and the second body to serve as a spring while varying an outer shape thereof according to a change of an internal pressure; and a valve structure for dividing an inner space of the air spring to form a plurality of chambers, and operating by inertia caused by a behavior of the vehicle to selectively connect or block the plurality of chambers.