Nonlinear Damper-Spring Assembly for Vehicle Interior Space
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional damper-spring assemblies in vehicle suspension systems intrude into the passenger and luggage compartments, compromising interior space while aiming to maintain ride comfort and performance.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle wheel suspension system featuring a nonlinearly-shaped damper-spring support member with a wheel support member positioned between tire planes, rotatably connected linkage arms, and a damper-spring mounting platform that overlaps the tire, allowing at least 50% of the damper-spring assembly to extend beyond the inner tire plane towards the centerline, with coaxial or misaligned damper and spring configurations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the damper-spring assembly is mounted in-board towards the vehicle centerline, then ride comfort and vehicle performance are improved, but interior space in the passenger and luggage compartments is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent repositions the damper-spring assembly from a lateral-inboard mounting (along the vehicle width) to a longitudinal-over-tire mounting (along the vehicle length). The assembly extends beyond the inner tire plane toward the tire centerline, utilizing the longitudinal dimension above the tire rather than encroaching on the lateral interior space. This dimensional shift resolves the contradiction by maintaining performance benefits while preserving compartment width.
2Reliability
If the damper-spring assembly angles inwardly towards the vehicle centerline, then suspension performance is improved, but the degree of interior space intrusion increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of angling the assembly inward along the lateral dimension (which intrudes on interior space), the patent orients the assembly along the longitudinal dimension above the tire. The assembly extends forward or backward beyond the tire plane rather than inward toward the vehicle centerline, eliminating space intrusion while maintaining suspension performance through proper geometric configuration.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a nonlinearly-shaped support member with curved geometry to connect the linkage arm to the damper-spring assembly. This curved configuration allows the assembly to follow a non-linear path that positions it over the tire while accommodating the rotational motion of the wheel, achieving both performance and space efficiency through geometric optimization.
3Device complexity
If the damper and spring are coaxially mounted, then device complexity is reduced, but adaptability to different mounting locations is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent designs the nonlinearly-shaped support member with universal adaptability to accommodate various mounting locations and orientations. The curved geometry can be configured to work with different linkage arm positions and tire configurations, allowing the same basic coaxial damper-spring assembly to be adapted to multiple mounting scenarios without increasing complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicle wheel suspension system that achieves increased width in the passenger and/or luggage compartment is provided. The suspension system utilizes a (i) a wheel support member that is positioned between the inner and outer tire planes; (ii) a plurality of linkage arms rotatably coupled to the wheel support member; (iii) a nonlinearly-shaped damper-spring support member that is attached to either an upper or lower linkage arm (iv) a damper-spring mounting platform that is positioned above, and at least partially overlaps, the tire, and that is rotatably attached to the nonlinearly-shaped damper-spring support member; and (v) a damper-spring assembly mounted to the damper-spring mounting platform and coupled to a vehicle body structure.