Composite Suspension Spring Integrating Roll and Vertical Stiffness
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing suspension systems for vehicles, particularly in small-sized buses and large trucks, have separate leaf springs and stabilizer bars, leading to high manufacturing and installation costs and insufficient roll stiffness, which compromises vehicle stability due to excessive roll angles.
Innovation Solution
A suspension system that integrates longitudinally and transversely mounted composite springs connected via a support member, enhancing both vertical and roll stiffness while reducing component count and weight, and utilizing a connection structure that includes an axle bracket, support member, and cover brackets to improve stability and reduce thickness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If separate leaf springs and stabilizer bar are used, then vehicle durability is ensured, but manufacturing and installation cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the leaf spring and stabilizer bar into a single integrated composite spring component. This merging eliminates the need for separate manufacturing and installation processes for two distinct components, thereby reducing manufacturing and installation costs while maintaining the functional requirements for both vertical support and roll stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The integrated composite spring performs multiple functions simultaneously: it provides vertical stiffness through its leaf spring function and provides roll stiffness through its stabilizer bar function. This multi-functionality allows a single component to replace what traditionally required two separate components, reducing overall system complexity and cost.
2Reliability
If stabilizer bar is used to suppress rolling, then vehicle stability is improved, but roll angle increases due to vehicle weight
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the physical parameters of the spring system by integrating the stabilizer bar function into the leaf spring structure. This creates a coupled system where vertical and roll motions interact, generating additional torsional force that enhances roll stiffness beyond what a conventional stabilizer bar alone could provide, thereby reducing roll angle.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs composite materials in the integrated spring structure, combining materials with different properties to achieve both vertical load-bearing capacity and torsional rigidity. This composite construction allows the single component to simultaneously handle vertical forces and resist rolling moments effectively.
3Weight of moving object
If composite spring is used instead of steel multi-plate spring, then weight is reduced and fuel efficiency is enhanced, but durability may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent utilizes composite materials (such as fiber-reinforced polymers) to construct the integrated spring. These composite materials provide high strength-to-weight ratio, ensuring both weight reduction for improved fuel efficiency and sufficient durability to withstand repeated loading cycles and mechanical stresses.
4Ease of manufacture
If integrated spring connection structure is used, then component count is reduced and cost decreases, but structural complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the connection functions for both vertical and roll control into a single integrated structure. By combining what would traditionally be separate mounting points and connection mechanisms into one unified integrated spring assembly, the patent reduces the total number of components and connection points, simplifying installation despite the sophisticated internal structure.
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 integrated suspension system significantly enhances vertical and roll stiffness, improves running performance, reduces cost and weight, and stabilizes the vehicle by generating additional torsional force through the connection of springs, thereby addressing the limitations of separate components in existing systems.
Implementation Method 1
The leaf spring, which is a component for connecting a vehicle body and a chassis (rear axle), serves to alleviate and suppress an impact from the road surface transmitted to the vehicle body through vertical stiffness
Implementation Method 2
the stabilizer bar exerts a torsional force by itself when both wheels move in mutually opposite phases to each other to suppress rolling that occurs in the vehicle body during driving
Data Source
AI summary
A suspension system for a vehicle with a composite spring may include: a first longitudinally mounted spring 10 and a second longitudinally mounted spring 20 generating vertical stiffness of a vehicle; and a transversely mounted spring 30 generating roll stiffness and connected to the first and second longitudinally mounted springs. In particular, the transversely mounted spring 30 is connected to a vehicle body 1 by a support member 40. Stiffness of the vehicle may be further strengthened during a longitudinal behavior and a rolling behavior of the vehicle, and thus, running stability may be significantly enhanced.