Concurrent Vehicle Leveling Manifold Block
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Solution Overview
Problem
Concurrent leveling systems for vehicles face challenges in smoothly raising and lowering the vehicle due to weight distribution differences between the front and rear ends, leading to uneven air flow and potential tilting, as higher pressure in the front air springs can hinder the lowering of the rear end.
Innovation Solution
The system employs a pneumatic circuit with a manifold block and electronic control unit that includes restrictor valves and a boost valve to regulate airflow, allowing for smooth leveling without switching air spring blocker valves, using smaller, high-value ABS and ESC components, and incorporating a pressure sensor for precise control.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Weight of moving object
If the front air springs are pressurized to support the heavier front end, then the front end can be properly supported, but the rear end cannot be lowered smoothly due to higher pressure in the manifold block
Solution Approach 1:
The pneumatic system is segmented into separate flow paths for front and rear air springs. The manifold block includes distinct restrictors for front and rear axles that can independently regulate airflow to each axle, allowing the front and rear ends to be controlled separately despite sharing a common pressurized air source.
Solution Approach 2:
Different restrictors are applied to different axles based on their specific requirements. The restrictor for the rear axle has a different flow characteristic than the front restrictor, allowing each axle to receive appropriately regulated airflow that accounts for the weight distribution and lowering requirements of that specific axle.
2Productivity
If larger orifice valves are used to allow high exhaust flow for quick lowering, then the lowering speed increases, but the magnetic force required to operate the valves increases
Solution Approach 1:
A restrictor is introduced as an intermediary component between the pressurized air source and the air springs. This restrictor regulates the airflow to maintain a controlled pressure differential across the suspension valve orifice, enabling the use of smaller orifice valves that require less magnetic force to operate while still achieving smooth and relatively quick lowering.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the pressure parameter by using a restrictor to maintain a specific pressure differential across the suspension valve orifice during exhaust flow. This allows the valve to operate efficiently with smaller dimensions and lower magnetic force requirements while maintaining the desired lowering performance.
3Stability of the object's composition
If restrictors are added to regulate airflow to individual axles, then smooth leveling is achieved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The restrictors for the front and rear axles are merged into a single integrated manifold block. This consolidation allows the pneumatic circuit to regulate airflow to both axles smoothly without requiring separate external restrictor components, thereby achieving vehicle levelness while minimizing the increase in device complexity.
4Speed
If the front end is lowered quickly due to higher weight, then the lowering speed increases, but the rear end may lift instead of lowering
Solution Approach 1:
The pneumatic system is segmented into separate flow paths with independent restrictors for front and rear axles. This segmentation allows the rear axle to receive regulated airflow that prevents it from lifting when the front end is lowered quickly, maintaining vehicle levelness throughout the lowering process.
Solution Approach 2:
The restrictor for the rear axle is specifically designed with different flow characteristics than the front restrictor, accounting for the lighter weight of the rear end. This local customization of flow regulation prevents the rear end from lifting during front end lowering while maintaining overall vehicle stability.
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 solution enables smooth and quick raising or lowering of the vehicle's axle height, maintaining vehicle levelness and improving fuel economy by equalizing pressure differentials across suspension valves, reducing the need for larger magnetic forces and minimizing airflow restrictions.
Implementation Method 1
When lowering a vehicle, the heavier weight causes higher pressure in the manifold block to be created. This higher pressure does not permit the lighter rear end of the vehicle to be lowered at the same rate as the front end.
Implementation Method 2
At least one plunger including a first plunger and a second plunger is dispose in the channel for movement with the armature in response to a magnetic field for controlling fluid flow through the aperture of the valve seat.
Data Source
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AI summary
A concurrent leveling system includes a pressurized air source (26). A manifold block (28), having a body (30) defining an air feed inlet (74), is disposed between air springs (22) and the pressurized air source (26). The body (30) includes front and rear suspension valves (32, 34). Each of the suspension valves (32) defines a suspension valve orifice (86) having a first predetermined diameter (D1). The body (30) includes at least one restrictor valve (40) parallel to and in fluid communication with the front suspension valves (32). The at least one restrictor valve (40) includes a first check valve (48) and a first blocker valve orifice (102) defining a first orifice diameter (01). The first check valve (48) and the first blocker valve orifice (102) are disposed parallel to one another and in series with the front suspension valves (32) and in fluid communication with the air feed inlet (74) and the front suspension valves (32) for reducing fluid back flow to allow the vehicle to be lowered in nominal loading conditions.