Semi-Active Seat Suspension With Low-Friction Damping Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing seat suspension systems in vehicles prioritize safety over performance, leading to reduced comfort due to 'sticking' issues in semi-active damper systems during changes in stroke direction, which results in a less than optimal ride for occupants.
Innovation Solution
A computer-controlled damper suspension system with a low friction mechanical suspension and geometry of very low minimum damping, utilizing sensors to adjust damping rates in real-time, allowing for minimal vibration and energy transmission to the occupant by employing a semi-active damper and air spring system with a nested scissor mechanism and height adjustment manifold.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a semi-active damper system is used to improve safety and reduce vibration transmission, then occupant comfort is improved, but sticking issues occur during changes in stroke direction causing reduced performance
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces traditional mechanical friction-based damping mechanisms with a magnetorheological fluid-based semi-active damper system. This substitution allows for controlled damping force adjustment through magnetic field application rather than mechanical friction, eliminating the sticking issues that occur during stroke direction changes while maintaining safety and comfort benefits
Solution Approach 2:
The patent dynamically changes the damping parameter by adjusting the magnetorheological fluid's viscosity through magnetic field strength modulation. This allows the damper to transition smoothly between different damping states without mechanical friction or sticking, resolving the contradiction between safety reliability and ride performance during stroke direction changes
2Object-affected harmful factors
If damping is increased to minimize vibration transmission, then occupant comfort is improved, but the system becomes less responsive to road conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a dynamic damping control system that continuously adjusts the magnetorheological fluid's viscosity based on real-time road conditions and vehicle motion parameters. This dynamic adjustment allows the system to provide high damping when vibration suppression is needed while maintaining high responsiveness when quick adaptation to road changes is required, resolving the contradiction between vibration reduction and system responsiveness
3Ease of operation
If a low friction mechanical suspension is used to reduce sticking, then ride smoothness is improved, but damping control precision is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces mechanical friction-based damping with a magnetorheological fluid-based system where damping force is controlled through magnetic field application. This substitution eliminates mechanical friction that causes sticking while providing precise control over damping force through electronic modulation of the magnetic field, thereby maintaining both ride smoothness and damping control precision
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 provides a more comfortable and safer ride by minimizing both above-resonance and on-resonance vibration transmission, enhancing performance while maintaining safety through precise damping control and low friction mechanics.
Implementation Method 1
a semi-active damper...configured to control the semi-active damper to apply damping to the suspension system
Implementation Method 2
both above-resonance vibration and on-resonance energy transmission to the occupant are minimized by means of appropriate damping rate application
Implementation Method 3
a spring and computer-controlled damper suspension system...an air spring
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is a semi-active seat suspension system that minimizes vibration and energy transmission from a vibration/energy source, such as a motor vehicle, to a seated occupant by means of a spring and computer-controlled damper suspension system. Using a variety of sensors to determine an ideal damping rate at a given point in time, the system adjusts the damping rate in real time to provide the best possible ride to the occupant given the constraints of the system.