Axle Plate Design for Reduced Vehicle Ride Height
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing axle connections for commercial vehicle axles result in a higher ride height due to the vertical distance between the axle body and the wishbone, which is a limitation in design when using malleable materials like spring links.
Innovation Solution
An axle plate with a large opening that accommodates the width of the wishbone, allowing it to move close to the axle body, and additional side walls that form a channel for support, along with an optional axle shell for enhanced form fit and material displacement, reducing the ride height by minimizing the distance between the axle guide and axle body.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a vertically thick axle plate with positive-locking elements is used, then the structural strength and force transfer are improved, but the ride height increases
Solution Approach 1:
The axle plate is segmented into a thin main body and separate reinforcement elements (side walls forming channels, transverse reinforcing elements). This segmentation allows the plate to achieve high strength through distributed reinforcement rather than uniform thickness, thereby reducing ride height while maintaining structural integrity.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of increasing strength in the vertical dimension (thick plate), the invention transitions to reinforcement in horizontal dimensions through side walls forming channels and transverse elements. This dimensional shift provides structural strength without increasing vertical thickness, thus lowering ride height.
2Force
If the axle plate is made vertically thick to accommodate positive-locking elements, then the force transfer capability is improved, but the distance between axle body and wishbone increases
Solution Approach 1:
The reinforcement structure is segmented into vertical side walls forming channels and horizontal transverse elements. This segmentation distributes force transfer paths throughout the plate structure, enabling effective force transfer without requiring increased vertical thickness that would increase the distance between axle body and wishbone.
Solution Approach 2:
The side walls form channel structures that provide curved reinforcement paths for force transfer. These channel shapes optimize stress distribution and force transfer efficiency while maintaining a compact vertical profile, thereby reducing the distance between axle body and wishbone.
3Length of stationary object
If the opening width is increased to accommodate the wishbone, then the ride height is reduced, but the lateral support and guidance are weakened
Solution Approach 1:
The side walls are segmented into vertical channels that provide discrete lateral support points. This segmentation allows the opening to be wide for reduced ride height while the distributed channel structures maintain lateral support and guidance functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
Lateral support is provided not only through the opening edges but also through transverse reinforcing elements that extend in the lateral dimension. This multi-dimensional support system maintains lateral stability even with a wide opening that reduces ride height.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 1a~1b
Figure 2
AI summary
The invention relates to an axle fixation for a vehicle axle, comprising an axle link, an axle body, preferably a tubular axle body, which crosses the axle link on the lower or upper face of the axle link, an axle plate (9), and tension elements for pulling the axle body and axle link away from each other with the interposition of the axle plate (9). On the side facing the axle body, the axle plate (9) has a contour (5) which is designed to correspond to the outer contour of the axle body (1) at least in some regions, said outer contour lying opposite said contour, and on the side facing the lower or upper face of the axle link, the axle plate has a contact region (10) made of surface sections which contact the lower or upper face and between which an opening (15) is located. In order to achieve a lower travel height by changing the spacing of the axle fixation parts, the width of the opening (15) is greater than or equal to the width of the lower or upper face of the axle link in the contact region (10).