Integrated Damper Assembly for Stepless Vehicle Ground Clearance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle ground clearance adjustment systems are bulky, expensive, and energy-intensive, relying on external circuits and pumps, which limits their compactness, efficiency, and affordability for various vehicle categories.
Innovation Solution
A damper system that utilizes a main damper with a spring assembly and a pumping chamber to adjust ground clearance using the relative motion between the wheel and chassis, leveraging electronically controlled valves to pump fluid and manage pressure without external energy, allowing for compact, cost-effective, and energy-efficient height adjustment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If air suspension systems with external pumps and hoses are used to adjust ground clearance, then the ground clearance can be adjusted, but the system becomes bulky and complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the pump, reservoir, and ground clearance adjustment mechanism into a single integrated damper unit. The pump chamber is housed within the damper body, and the reservoir is integrated into the same structure, eliminating the need for separate external pumps and hoses. This merging of components directly resolves the technical contradiction by maintaining ground clearance adjustment capability while dramatically reducing system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a nested structure where the pump chamber is positioned inside the damper body, and the reservoir is integrated within the same housing. The piston rod of the damper serves multiple functions including actuating the pump mechanism. This nesting arrangement allows multiple functions (damping, pumping, fluid storage) to be contained within a single compact unit, resolving the contradiction between functionality and structural complexity.
2Ease of operation
If air suspension systems with external pumps are used to adjust ground clearance, then the ground clearance can be adjusted, but the system requires high external energy
Solution Approach 1:
The damper system is self-sufficient in generating the energy required for ground clearance adjustment. The pump is driven by the reciprocating motion of the damper piston during normal suspension operation, converting mechanical energy from vehicle motion into hydraulic energy for height adjustment. This self-service mechanism eliminates the need for external power sources, resolving the contradiction between operational capability and energy consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent converts the energy that would normally be dissipated as heat during damper operation into useful work for pumping fluid and adjusting ground clearance. The pump chamber utilizes the pressure differentials and motion already present during suspension compression and rebound to drive the pumping action, transforming what would be wasted energy into a beneficial function.
3Ease of operation
If air suspension systems with external pumps are used to adjust ground clearance, then the ground clearance can be adjusted, but the system is bulky
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple previously separate components (damper, pump, reservoir) into a single integrated unit. The pump chamber is housed within the damper body, and the reservoir is incorporated into the same structure, eliminating the volume required for separate external components. This merging directly addresses the contradiction by maintaining full adjustment functionality while minimizing system volume.
Solution Approach 2:
The damper unit performs multiple functions simultaneously: suspension damping, fluid pumping for height adjustment, and fluid storage. The piston rod serves both as the damping actuator and as the pump driver. This multi-functionality allows a single component to replace what would traditionally require multiple separate components, thereby reducing the overall system volume while preserving all necessary functions.
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
Enables compact, cost-reduced, and energy-efficient adjustment of ground clearance, suitable for all vehicle categories, using energy from the damper's extension and compression strokes to pump fluid, reducing energy consumption and maintaining ride comfort and tire contact.
Implementation Method 1
The pumping chamber is accommodated in the main damper tube and configured to increase the pressure of a fluid, e.g. oil to high pressure
Implementation Method 2
The spring assembly includes a spring, a lower spring seat, and an upper spring seat. The spring is arranged between the lower spring seat and the upper spring seat
Implementation Method 3
A damping force, which is required to maintain ride comfort and tire contact with the ground is provided by forcing oil through orifices in the main damper
Implementation Method 4
The valve unit at least includes a first electronically controlled valve, which is configured to connect/couple the pumping chamber with the low pressure reservoir via a first low pressure line during an extension stroke of the main damper
Data Source
AI summary
A damper system for changing a ground clearance of a vehicle, including a main damper having a main damper chamber and a main damper piston movably arranged in a main damper tube and a spring assembly. The spring assembly includes a spring, a lower spring seat, and an upper spring seat. The spring is arranged between the lower spring seat and the upper spring seat, wherein one of the lower spring seat and the upper spring seat includes a cylinder and a piston, and the other one of the lower spring seat and the upper spring seat is coupled to the main damper and movable with the spring. The piston of the spring assembly is steplessly adjustable between a first position and a second position, wherein the first position corresponds to a predefined minimum ground clearance and the second position corresponds to a predefined maximum ground clearance.