Gas Spring Inlet Chamber Geometry for Noise Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
High velocity, high pressure gas entering the internal volume of gas springs in vehicle suspension systems causes unwanted noise and turbulence, which is perceptible to users and nearby individuals, and reducing gas velocity to mitigate noise compromises the speed of ride height adjustment.
Innovation Solution
The gas spring design includes a gas inlet chamber with a cylindrical volume and a helical path, directing gas flow at an acute angle to reduce turbulence and noise by slowing the gas flow before it enters the internal volume.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If high velocity, high pressure gas is delivered to the internal volume, then rapid ride height adjustment is achieved, but noise and turbulence increase
Solution Approach 1:
A gas inlet chamber is introduced as an intermediary component between the gas inlet port and the internal volume. This chamber receives high velocity gas from the inlet port and gradually decelerates it before allowing entry into the internal volume, thus mediating between the high-speed gas supply requirement and the noise reduction requirement
Solution Approach 2:
The gas inlet chamber employs curved interior surfaces instead of sharp edges or perpendicular walls. The curved geometry guides the gas flow smoothly, reducing turbulence and noise by eliminating abrupt flow direction changes while maintaining flow continuity for rapid adjustment
2Object-generated harmful factors
If gas velocity is reduced to decrease noise, then noise level decreases, but ride height adjustment speed decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The gas inlet chamber provides dynamic flow adaptation - allowing high velocity flow when rapid adjustment is needed while automatically reducing velocity as gas approaches the internal volume. The chamber's geometry creates a dynamic deceleration profile rather than a fixed velocity reduction
Solution Approach 2:
The gas delivery path is segmented into distinct zones: a high-velocity inlet region, a gradual deceleration zone within the gas inlet chamber, and a low-velocity entry region into the internal volume. This segmentation allows different velocity characteristics in different sections to satisfy both speed and noise requirements
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
The design effectively reduces noise and turbulence associated with gas flow into the internal volume, maintaining rapid ride height adjustment without compromising user comfort.
Implementation Method 1
the gas inlet chamber comprises a cylindrical volume having a longitudinal axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the inlet conduit, and wherein an angle between the longitudinal axis of the inlet conduit and a tangent to the surface of the interior wall of the gas inlet chamber opposing the gas inlet port and intersecting the longitudinal axis of the inlet conduit is acute
Implementation Method 2
gas entering the gas inlet chamber from the gas inlet port via the inlet conduit is directed towards a curved wall of the gas inlet chamber at an acute angle
Data Source
AI summary
A gas spring for use in a gas suspension system. The gas spring includes a gas inlet port configured to receive compressed gas and a gas inlet chamber connected via an inlet conduit to the gas inlet port and via an opening to an internal volume of the gas spring. The inlet conduit is connected to the gas inlet chamber at a position offset from a central axis of the gas inlet chamber such that an angle between a longitudinal axis of the gas inlet port and a surface of an interior wall of the gas inlet chamber opposing the gas inlet port is acute.