Anti-roll Device with Translatable Sleeve and Friction Cone Coupling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional anti-roll bars in vehicles face challenges in maintaining comfort while providing adequate stiffness, as high stiffness is beneficial for handling but induces discomfort due to transmission of irregularities from one wheel to another, and they are not effectively stressed during events like speed bumps where only suspensions are needed.
Innovation Solution
An anti-roll device with coupled arms featuring a hub, sleeve with friction cones, and ramps that allow rotational coupling and decoupling, enabling independent stress distribution between wheels and reducing energy consumption for coupling/decoupling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If the anti-roll bar uses high stiffness to maintain vehicle attitude in bends, then handling performance is improved, but passenger comfort deteriorates due to transmission of irregularities from one wheel to another
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies a dynamic coupling mechanism that can switch between coupled and uncoupled states. The coupling means include a sleeve that can translate along the hub to engage or disengage friction cones, allowing the anti-roll bar to dynamically adjust its stiffness based on driving conditions. This resolves the contradiction by providing high stiffness when needed for handling while allowing flexibility for comfort.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the coupling parameter between the two arms from fixed to variable. By using friction cones with a specific friction coefficient and a ramp mechanism, the system can transition between a coupled state (high stiffness) and an uncoupled state (low stiffness), thereby adapting the stress transmission characteristic to different operating conditions.
2Stability of the object's composition
If the anti-roll bar uses fixed coupling to provide consistent stiffness, then handling stability is improved, but adaptability to different road conditions deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a dynamic coupling system where the sleeve can translate to engage or disengage the friction cones. This allows the anti-roll bar to switch between a stable coupled state for handling and a flexible uncoupled state for comfort, thereby achieving both handling stability and adaptability to different road conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The coupling mechanism can be actuated periodically or on-demand to switch between coupled and uncoupled states based on road conditions. The ramp and friction cone design allows for rapid engagement and disengagement, enabling periodic adjustment of the anti-roll bar's stiffness characteristic.
3Speed
If the anti-roll bar uses complex coupling means to enable rapid coupling/decoupling, then responsiveness is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the complex actuation system from the coupling mechanism and replaces it with a passive friction-based coupling system. The sleeve translates along the hub to engage or disengage the friction cones without requiring complex actuators, thereby achieving rapid coupling/decoupling while minimizing device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The friction cones and ramp mechanism are designed to automatically engage and disengage based on the relative motion between the hub and sleeve. The system uses the friction force itself to maintain the coupled state, eliminating the need for additional locking mechanisms or actuators, thereby reducing complexity while maintaining responsiveness.
4Adaptability or versatility
If the anti-roll bar uses multiple separate anti-roll devices for different conditions, then adaptability is improved, but manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent designs a single anti-roll bar assembly with a multi-functional coupling mechanism that can operate in both coupled and uncoupled states. The hub, sleeve, friction cones, and ramp combination provides both the structural support and the adaptive coupling functionality, eliminating the need for multiple separate anti-roll devices and reducing manufacturing costs.
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 solution allows for adjustable stiffness, improved comfort by minimizing stress transfer between wheels, and rapid coupling/decoupling for enhanced vehicle responsiveness and safety, while reducing manufacturing costs by eliminating the need for multiple anti-roll devices.
Implementation Method 1
a front part provided with a first friction cone of the female type and clean, in the event of translation relative to the hub, to be coupled to a second friction cone, of the male type and coupled in rotation to the second end of the second arm
Implementation Method 2
a rear part provided with at least a first ramp, and an element coupled in rotation to the second end of the first arm and comprising at least a second ramp cooperating with a first associated ramp to couple in rotation the sleeve to the first arm and induce an additional translation of the sleeve
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5~7
AI summary
An anti-roll device (AD) is fitted to the axle of a motor vehicle with opposed wheels. It comprises first (B1) and second (B2) arms, each having a first end coupled to one of the wheels and a second end (E21, E22), a hub (MO) fixedly attached to the second end (E21) of the first arm (B1), and a sleeve (MA) mounted around the hub (MO). The sleeve is equipped, on the one hand, with a first female friction cone (CF1) which, when translated, couples to a second male friction cone (CF2) fixedly attached to the second end (E22) of the second arm (B2) to couple the first (B1) and second (B2) arms in rotation. On the other hand, the sleeve has first ramps (R1) which, in the presence of this translation, cooperate with second ramps (R2) of the first arm (B1) to induce an additional translation to tighten the coupling. rotation.