Axle Beam Rubber Linkage Structure for Radial Spring Tuning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing tubular elastic linkage devices for axle beams face challenges in setting radial spring ratios with a great degree of freedom and achieving excellent elastic linkage performance, especially when a stopper is provided in a specified radial direction, leading to adverse effects on suspension performance and durability.
Innovation Solution
A tubular elastic linkage device with a main rubber elastic body featuring a pocket part and strategically formed windows and apertures in the outer segments, allowing the stopper to be positioned with a distance from the housing part, enabling relative displacement limitation and efficient spring tuning in both radial directions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the stopper is disposed radially between the face of the inner axial member and the face of the corresponding outer segment with the main rubber elastic body continuously provided between them, then the relative displacement between the inner axial member and the outer segments is limited in the radial direction, but the spring characteristics of the device get harder and suspension performance is adversely affected
Solution Approach 1:
The outer segments are divided into two separate segments that face each other in the vertical direction, with the stopper disposed between them. This segmentation allows the main rubber elastic body to be discontinuous in the radial direction, creating gaps that prevent over-compression and maintain proper spring characteristics for suspension performance while still limiting relative displacement through the stopper mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
The stopper is extracted from the continuous radial path between the inner axial member and outer segment. Instead of being disposed continuously between the faces, the stopper is positioned specifically between the circumferential ends of the upper and lower outer segments, allowing the main rubber elastic body to be removed from the direct radial compression path while retaining the displacement limitation function.
2Reliability
If the main rubber elastic body is provided continuously between the stopper and the outer segment, then the stopper can limit relative displacement, but the main rubber elastic body is compressed by the stopper under circumferential load input, exerting hard spring that affects suspension characteristics
Solution Approach 1:
The outer segments are segmented into upper and lower portions facing each other vertically, with the stopper positioned between them. This creates a discontinuous arrangement where the main rubber elastic body does not continuously connect the stopper to the outer segment in the radial direction, allowing independent control of displacement limitation and suspension characteristics.
Solution Approach 2:
The stopper acts as an intermediary element that limits displacement in the radial direction without continuously compressing the main rubber elastic body under circumferential loads. By positioning the stopper between the circumferential ends of the outer segments rather than in continuous radial contact, the system allows the main rubber elastic body to maintain its suspension function while the stopper provides discrete displacement control.
3Adaptability or versatility
If a gap is provided between the stopper and the housing part so that the stopper touches the housing part only during large load input, then the spring constant in the radial direction becomes smaller, but the rubber volume of the main rubber elastic body is reduced making spring tuning less flexible
Solution Approach 1:
The outer segments are segmented into upper and lower portions that face each other vertically, with the stopper disposed between them. This segmentation allows the system to provide displacement limitation through the stopper-housing part contact during large loads while maintaining adequate rubber volume in the main rubber elastic body for proper spring tuning and flexibility during normal operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The outer segments are oriented to face each other in the vertical direction rather than radially, changing the dimensional arrangement. This allows the stopper to be positioned between the circumferential ends of the outer segments, creating a configuration where displacement limitation and spring tuning can be independently optimized without the trade-off present in radial arrangements.
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 configuration allows for easy tuning of spring ratios between the stopper protrusion side and the opposite side, improving durability and suspension performance by maintaining spring characteristics with a great degree of freedom, while avoiding compression issues and galling damage.
Implementation Method 1
a main rubber elastic body elastically connecting the inner axial member and the pair of outer segments with one another
Implementation Method 2
the stopper is configured to be abutted against the housing part so as to constitute a displacement limitation mechanism limiting relative displacement between the inner axial member and the pair of outer segments
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3
Figure 4~5
AI summary
A tubular elastic linkage device for axle beam 10, which is installed in a tubular housing part 62 provided at one end of an axle beam 60 and elastically links a truck frame 50 and the axle beam 60, wherein a pocket part 40 opening into one side of an outer peripheral surface of a main rubber elastic body 16 is opened to the outside through a window 30 formed through one outer segment 14a. A stopper 26 supported by an inner axial member 12 is disposed in the pocket part 40. A displacement limitation mechanism is configured such that the relative displacement between the inner axial member 12 and outer segments 14a, 14b is limited by the abutment between the stopper 26 and the housing part 62. On an other side deviate from the pocket part 40, the main rubber elastic body 16 is exposed to the outside through an aperture 36 formed in the other outer segment 14b.