Off-Road Suspension Arm Layout for Shock Absorber Stiffness
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing suspension systems in off-road vehicles face challenges in providing sufficient stiffness to support the shock absorber, leading to potential structural weaknesses under high loads.
Innovation Solution
The suspension system incorporates a suspension arm with a lower arm and an upper arm, where the shock absorber is attached to one of the arms, enhancing the stiffness by distributing the reactive forces effectively.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If the shock absorber is attached to the suspension arm, then the suspension system can support the shock absorber, but the stiffness for supporting the shock absorber is insufficient under high loads
Solution Approach 1:
The suspension arm is segmented into multiple arms (lower arm, upper arm, front arm, rear arm) with the shock absorber attached to specific arms. This segmentation allows the load to be distributed across multiple structural elements rather than concentrated on a single attachment point, thereby improving the overall stiffness and load-bearing capacity of the suspension system.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by specifically designing the front arm or rear arm of the upper arm with enhanced structural characteristics to support the shock absorber. The attachment location is strategically chosen on arms that are optimized for their specific functional requirements, providing localized stiffness where the shock absorber needs support while maintaining overall suspension flexibility.
2Device complexity
If the suspension arm structure is simplified, then the device complexity is reduced, but the stiffness for supporting the shock absorber deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The suspension arm structure is designed with multi-functionality where the front arm and rear arm serve both as structural connectors and as load-bearing elements for the shock absorber. The upper arm and lower arm work together to provide both geometric constraints and force distribution, eliminating the need for separate dedicated support structures and thereby maintaining simplicity while achieving sufficient stiffness.
Data Source
AI summary
A suspension 4 includes a suspension arm 41 that couples a knuckle 3 to a vehicle body frame 1, and a shock absorber 42 that is attached to the suspension arm 41. The suspension arm 41 includes a lower arm 5 and an upper arm 6 located higher than the lower arm 5. The upper arm 6 has a front arm 61 and a rear arm 62 located at the rear with respect to the front arm 61. A lower end 42a of the shock absorber 42 is attached to one of the front arm 61 or the rear arm 62.