Composite Leaf Spring Spacer for Lighter Multi-Stage Suspension
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing leaf spring suspension systems for heavy vehicles face challenges in weight reduction while maintaining effective load distribution and suspension response, as additional spring stages and multiple plates increase overall weight, which hinders fuel efficiency efforts.
Innovation Solution
A leaf spring vehicle suspension system incorporating a composite spacer with compression limiters, which maintains spacing between leaf springs, prevents inter-leaf contact, and allows the use of lesser-grade composites, thereby reducing weight and enhancing suspension characteristics.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If additional spring stages and multiple plates are used to improve load distribution and suspension response, then suspension performance is improved, but vehicle weight increases
Solution Approach 1:
The spacer is constructed from composite materials (such as fiber-reinforced polymers) instead of traditional solid metal, providing sufficient mechanical strength and stiffness while significantly reducing weight. This allows the suspension system to maintain multiple spring stages and plates for improved load distribution without proportionally increasing vehicle weight.
Solution Approach 2:
The spacer is designed with varying thickness and material density at different locations to provide optimal structural support where needed while minimizing weight in less critical areas. This localized optimization maintains suspension performance while reducing overall weight.
2Weight of moving object
If composite materials are used in the spacer to reduce weight, then vehicle weight decreases, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The spacer design incorporates discrete features such as compression limiters, apertures, and thickness variations that are integrated into the composite manufacturing process. By segmenting the design into manufacturable features, the complexity is managed while maintaining weight reduction benefits.
Solution Approach 2:
Traditional mechanical fastening and assembly methods are replaced with composite manufacturing techniques (such as molding or bonding) that integrate multiple features into a single piece, reducing assembly steps and manufacturing complexity despite the advanced material used.
3Reliability
If compression limiters are included in the spacer to control leaf spring compression, then suspension reliability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The compression limiters are integrated directly into the spacer structure rather than being separate components. This merging of functions reduces the number of parts and assembly steps while maintaining the compression control feature for improved suspension reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The compression limiters are formed as integral features of the composite spacer, utilizing the material properties of the composite to provide both structural support and compression limiting functionality, thereby reducing overall device complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
A leaf spring vehicle suspension system includes a chassis rail and an axle. The suspension system also includes a first stage leaf spring. The suspension system further includes a second stage leaf spring. The suspension system yet further includes a third stage leaf spring operatively coupled at a first end and a second end to the chassis rail, wherein the first stage leaf spring is located below the third stage leaf spring and the second stage leaf spring is located below the first stage leaf spring. The suspension system also include a spacer in abutment with a leaf spring, wherein the spacer is formed of at least one composite material.