Hydraulic Suspension Manifold for Independent Roll and Vertical Locking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing hydraulic suspension systems face issues with complex control circuits and reliance on sophisticated electronic hardware, leading to potential unreliability and increased costs, as well as unwanted handling characteristics due to mismatched locking/unlocking conditions of hydraulic cylinders.
Innovation Solution
A hydraulic suspension system with a modular manifold that includes electrically activated valves and piloted check valves to lock/unlock vertical and roll motion independently, allowing for balanced cylinder stiffness and position adjustment, thereby avoiding decreased handling performance and simplifying control logic.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If complex control circuits and sophisticated electronic hardware are used to manage hydraulic cylinder locking/unlocking, then handling performance can be improved, but system reliability decreases and cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The hydraulic system uses self-regulating check valves and pressure-balanced mechanisms that automatically lock/unlock cylinders based on load conditions without requiring complex electronic control circuits. The system serves itself by using inherent hydraulic principles to manage cylinder states, eliminating reliance on sophisticated electronic hardware while maintaining handling performance.
2Ease of operation
If complex control circuits are implemented to circumvent unwanted handling characteristics, then handling performance can be improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and eliminates complex control circuits from the system by using passive hydraulic components such as check valves and pressure-regulating mechanisms that inherently prevent unwanted handling characteristics. The solution removes the disturbing element (complex electronics) while preserving the beneficial function (handling performance) through simpler hydraulic design.
3Ease of operation
If hydraulic cylinders are locked in mismatched conditions, then vertical motion control is improved, but unwanted handling characteristics occur
Solution Approach 1:
The hydraulic system incorporates feedback mechanisms through pressure-sensing check valves that automatically detect the state of hydraulic cylinders and adjust locking/unlocking conditions accordingly. This feedback ensures that cylinders are locked or unlocked in matched conditions, preventing unwanted handling characteristics while maintaining effective vertical motion control.
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 system achieves desired handling characteristics by passively managing roll and vertical motion, reducing the complexity of control systems and enhancing vehicle handling performance while maintaining reliability and cost-effectiveness.
Implementation Method 1
a first electrically activated valve fluidically coupled to the piston-side interfaces of the first and second hydraulic cylinders... configured to lock and unlock vertical motion of the first and second hydraulic cylinders
Implementation Method 2
a plurality of piloted check valves fluidically coupled to the piston-side interfaces and the rod-side interfaces... allows suspension roll motion to be locked and unlocked during desired periods of system operation
Data Source
AI summary
Methods and systems for hydraulic vehicle suspension are provided. A hydraulic suspension system, in one example, includes a first manifold including a piston-side interface and a rod-side interface fluidically coupled to a piston chamber and a rod chamber, respectively, for each of a first hydraulic cylinder and a second hydraulic cylinder. In the system, the first manifold includes a first electrically activated valve fluidically coupled to the piston-side interfaces, a first damping device, and a second damping device, the first electrically activated valve is configured to lock and unlock vertical motion of the first and second hydraulic cylinders and, while vertical motion of the first and second hydraulic cylinders is locked, the first electrically activated valve permits fluidic communication between the first and second hydraulic cylinders to permit free roll motion in the hydraulic suspension system.