Cable-Pulley Suspension for Four-Wheeled Vehicle Stability

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing four-wheeled vehicles face challenges in maintaining a horizontal body position when encountering depressions or uneven terrain, leading to potential tilting and instability, especially in off-road conditions, due to complex and expensive suspension systems.

Innovation Solution

The vehicle employs diagonally connected wheels via cables guided over deflection pulleys, with a compensating cable and motor-driven chain hoist, controlled by inclination sensors to maintain a horizontal position, distributing load evenly across all wheels and preventing tilting through adjustable suspension and a star wheel mechanism.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Stability of the object's composition

If complex pneumatic or hydraulic suspension systems are used to maintain horizontal vehicle body position, then stability on uneven terrain is improved, but device complexity and manufacturing cost increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvevehicle body horizontal positionVSAvoidsuspension system complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Stability of the object's compositionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the complex pneumatic/hydraulic suspension system and replaces it with a simplified cable-pulley mechanism. The core function of maintaining wheel position is preserved through cables (9, 90) connected to wheel carriers (4) and guided over pulleys (11-15), eliminating the need for complex actuators while achieving the same stability goal.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses cables and pulleys as a simplified copy of the suspension function provided by complex pneumatic/hydraulic systems. The cable-pulley arrangement replicates the essential function of maintaining vehicle body horizontality without requiring the complex infrastructure of traditional suspension systems.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

2Adaptability or versatility

If individual wheel suspension is implemented to adapt to ground conditions, then wheel-ground contact is improved, but the vehicle body tilts due to lack of central load distribution

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvewheel adaptation to groundVSAvoidvehicle body horizontal position

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges individual wheel suspension capabilities with central load distribution through the compensating cable (19) connected to the adjusting rocker (20). This integration ensures that while individual wheels can adapt to ground conditions, the load is evenly distributed across all wheels, preventing vehicle body tilting.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The compensating cable (19) and adjusting rocker (20) act as intermediaries between individual wheel carriers and the central vehicle structure. These components mediate the force distribution, ensuring that vertical movements at individual wheels do not translate into body tilts, thereby maintaining both adaptability and stability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Device complexity

If manual cable tensioning is used in cable suspension systems, then device complexity is reduced, but adjustment precision and reliability deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecable tensioning mechanismVSAvoidcable tension adjustment precision

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The chain hoist (16) with motor (17) enables the cable tensioning system to adjust itself automatically based on terrain conditions and load distribution. The system serves itself by detecting imbalances and making precise cable length adjustments without requiring manual intervention, thereby maintaining low complexity while achieving high precision.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The inclination sensor (18) provides feedback to the control system, which then activates the chain hoist (16) to adjust cable tension. This feedback loop ensures precise and reliable cable length adjustment by continuously monitoring vehicle body orientation and making corrections as needed, eliminating the imprecision of manual tensioning.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

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 solution ensures the vehicle remains horizontal and stable on uneven terrain, preventing tilting and slipping, and allows for height adjustment and operation on steps or off-road conditions without the risk of tipping, applicable to both manual and motorized wheelchairs and all-terrain vehicles.

Implementation Method 1

diagonally opposite wheels being connected to one another via a cable each guided over deflection pulleys

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectTension: Tension

Implementation Method 2

The suspension of the vehicle has an even effect on the entire vehicle and not just on individual wheels due to the elasticity of the cables

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Data Source

PatentEP3093168B1Four-wheeled vehicle whose wheels can be moved individually vertically

Publication Date: 2020.11.18 SPITZBART BERTHOLD

Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5~6

AI summary

In a four-wheeled vehicle whose wheels (2', 2", 3', 3") are individually movable in vertical planes, diagonally opposite wheels (2', 2" or 3', 3") are connected to each other by a cable (9, 90) guided over pulleys (11 to 15). The cable suspension allows adjustment of the wheel height with an even load on the individual wheels, regardless of the terrain.