Motor-Driven Suspension Adjusting Vehicle Height

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional hydraulic active suspensions for vehicles are complex, leading to reduced fuel economy and increased CO2 emissions, while they struggle to maintain ride comfort and steering ability, especially on uneven road surfaces.

Innovation Solution

A vehicle suspension apparatus with a fixing device, a moving device, and a driving device that adjusts vehicle height by rotating a drive shaft with a fixing pin, allowing the shock absorber to move up and down, enhancing driving performance and preventing damage from road bumps through motor-controlled power transmission.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a hydraulic active suspension system is implemented, then ride comfort and steering ability are improved, but device complexity increases and fuel economy deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveride comfort and steering abilityVSAvoidsystem complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts and eliminates the hydraulic system components (hydraulic pump, reservoir, hydraulic lines, cylinder block) from the suspension system, retaining only the essential shock absorber and control mechanisms. This simplifies the overall system while maintaining the core functionality of active suspension control.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces the hydraulic system with an electric motor-driven system. The motor rotates the shock absorber directly to control vehicle height, substituting the complex hydraulic transmission mechanism with a simpler electric motor and direct-drive configuration.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Reliability

If a hydraulic active suspension system is implemented, then ride comfort and steering ability are improved, but fuel economy is lowered and CO2 emissions are increased

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveride comfort and steering abilityVSAvoidfuel economy

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The shock absorber rotates periodically between different angular positions (e.g., 0° for normal driving, positive angles for raising vehicle height over bumps, negative angles for lowering). This periodic rotation allows the system to respond to varying road conditions while maintaining fuel efficiency through controlled, intermittent operation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

3Device complexity

If vehicle height is fixed, then structural simplicity is maintained, but adaptability to different driving conditions deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestructural simplicityVSAvoidadaptability to driving conditions

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent makes the shock absorber rotatable to dynamically adjust vehicle height based on driving conditions. The shock absorber can rotate to different angular positions (0° for normal driving, positive angles for raising vehicle height, negative angles for lowering), transforming the fixed-height suspension into an adaptive system that responds to road conditions while maintaining structural simplicity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

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 apparatus enhances driving performance by adjusting vehicle height based on driving conditions, improving ride comfort and preventing damage from road irregularities without the complexity and environmental drawbacks of hydraulic systems.

Implementation Method 1

a guide screw is formed on an internal peripheral surface of the moving device, and a corresponding screw is formed on an external peripheral surface of the lower end portion of the shock absorber, so that the shock absorber can be moved in an up and down direction when the moving device rotates

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectScrew mechanism: Screw

Data Source

PatentUS10259283B2Vehicle suspension apparatus capable of adjusting vehicle height

Publication Date: 2019.04.16 HYUNDAI MOTOR CO LTD

AI summary

A vehicle suspension apparatus configured for adjusting vehicle height may include a fixing device disposed at a wheel side, provided on an internal peripheral surface along its perimeter with a plurality of fixing grooves; a moving device provided to be rotatable within the fixing device, formed along its perimeter with coupling grooves corresponding to the fixing grooves and coupled such that a shock absorber moves in an up and down direction; a driving device disposed at the fixing device to transmit power; and a drive shaft provided to be rotatable within the moving device and provided with a fixing pin inserted into the coupling groove of the moving device and the fixing groove of the fixing device such that the fixing pin is disengaged from the fixing groove and remains inserted only into the coupling groove when the drive shaft rotates.