Height Control Valve Assembly Mounting for Axle Systems
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Solution Overview
Problem
Prior air-ride axle/suspension systems for heavy-duty vehicles face issues with complex installations, high maintenance costs, and inaccurate ride height adjustments due to multiple brackets and adjustable links, leading to undesirable tolerance stacks and human error.
Innovation Solution
A height control valve assembly that eliminates brackets and hardware by directly mounting the height control valve to the vehicle frame and using a non-adjustable wire link attached to the axle/suspension system beam, reducing weight and tolerance stacks, and allowing a wider range of activation for improved sensitivity and performance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If multiple brackets and adjustable links are used to mount the height control valve, then the system can be adjusted to accommodate different installation positions, but the device complexity increases and manufacturing precision deteriorates due to tolerance stacks
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the intermediate brackets and hardware from the mounting system, extracting only the essential functional elements. The height control valve is mounted directly to the frame using a simplified bracket assembly, eliminating unnecessary components that contributed to complexity and tolerance accumulation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines multiple separate mounting brackets into a single integrated bracket assembly that performs both frame mounting and beam attachment functions. This merging reduces the number of parts, eliminates tolerance stacks between multiple brackets, and simplifies the overall structure while maintaining installation flexibility.
2Strength
If multiple brackets and hardware are used to attach the height control valve, then the system can be mounted securely, but the weight of the stationary object increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes excess brackets and hardware from the mounting system, retaining only the essential components needed for secure attachment. This extraction eliminates redundant weight while preserving the structural integrity and mounting security of the height control valve assembly.
3Adaptability or versatility
If adjustable links with multiple openings are used, then the ride height can be adjusted manually, but the ease of operation deteriorates due to the time-consuming adjustment process
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the manual mechanical adjustment system (multiple openings and fasteners) with a simplified linkage mechanism that allows ride height adjustment through a single fastener. This substitution eliminates the need for time-consuming manual repositioning of multiple openings while maintaining the ability to adjust ride height.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent pre-configures the linkage with predetermined geometric relationships and fixed attachment points that enable ride height adjustment to be achieved through a single fastener operation. The preliminary design of the linkage geometry allows one fastener to control the entire adjustment mechanism, eliminating the need for sequential adjustment of multiple components.
4Strength
If multiple brackets are used in the mounting system, then the height control valve can be securely attached, but the manufacturing precision deteriorates due to undesirable tolerance stacks
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple separate mounting brackets into a single integrated bracket assembly, eliminating the tolerance stacks that accumulate when multiple brackets are stacked together. This consolidation maintains secure attachment while improving manufacturing precision by reducing the number of interfaces where tolerances can accumulate.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent removes intermediate brackets from the mounting system, extracting only the essential attachment functions. This elimination of redundant brackets reduces the number of tolerance-critical interfaces, thereby improving ride height accuracy while maintaining secure attachment through the simplified bracket design.
Data Source
Figure 1
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AI summary
A height control valve assembly for an axle/suspension system of a vehicle includes a height control valve in fluid communication with a compressed air source, with at least one air spring of said vehicle, and with atmosphere. The height control valve is attached to the frame of the vehicle and includes a flow control means for regulating fluid flow through the valve. A control arm is operatively attached to the flow control means, whereby movement of the control arm regulates fluid flow through the height control valve. The height control valve assembly further includes a link having a first end and a second end. The first end of the link is operatively attached to the control arm. The second end of the link is attached to the beam of the axle/suspension system, such that the ends of the link are generally vertically aligned.