Variable Shock Absorber Control for Faster Self-Pumping Ride Height
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Solution Overview
Problem
The speed of vehicle height increase during self-pumping is decreased due to the influence of the damping force of the damping force generation unit in existing vehicle height adjustment devices.
Innovation Solution
A damping force variable shock absorber that includes a damping force variable mechanism and a vehicle height control mechanism, which perform process-by-process damping force control to adjust the damping force during vehicle height adjustment, ensuring the damping force is weaker during the increasing phase than during non-increasing phases.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a damping force generation unit is used in a vehicle height adjustment device, then ride comfort is improved, but the speed of vehicle height increase during self-pumping decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The damping force is dynamically adjusted based on the vehicle height increase state. The control unit detects when the vehicle height is increasing due to self-pumping and automatically weakens the damping force during this period, allowing the system to adapt its characteristics to current operating conditions rather than maintaining a fixed damping force
Solution Approach 2:
The damping force parameter is changed based on the vehicle height increase state. When the vehicle height control mechanism is operating to increase height, the damping force parameter is modified to be weaker, thereby changing the system's mechanical properties to favor height adjustment speed over vibration suppression during this specific phase
2Speed
If the damping force is weakened during vehicle height increase, then the speed of vehicle height increase is improved, but steering stability may deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The damping force is adjusted periodically based on the operational cycle of the vehicle height control mechanism. During the height increase phase, damping is weakened, but during normal operation phases, the damping force returns to its standard level, creating a periodic adjustment pattern that balances height adjustment needs with steering stability requirements
Solution Approach 2:
The damping force is locally adjusted only during the specific condition of vehicle height increase due to self-pumping, rather than uniformly changing the damping force for all operations. This localized adjustment ensures that steering stability is maintained during normal operation while enabling faster height adjustment when needed
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 approach suppresses the decrease in vehicle height increase speed and improves steering stability by maintaining a desired ride comfort and vehicle height adjustment speed.
Implementation Method 1
using a vibration caused by traveling of a vehicle as a driving force, pressurize a hydraulic oil and push a spring
Implementation Method 2
a damping force of a damping force generation unit
Data Source
AI summary
A damping force variable shock absorber includes a damping force variable mechanism including a damping force generator, a damping force variable actuator, and a damping force controller which controls an operation of the damping force variable actuator, and a vehicle height control mechanism including a self-pumping mechanism configured to, using a vibration caused by traveling of a vehicle as a driving force, pressurize a hydraulic oil and push a spring, a vehicle height variable actuator which switches a flow path of the hydraulic oil pressurize by self-pumping, and a vehicle height controller which controls an operation of the vehicle height variable actuator. The damping force controller performs a damping force variable control in which a damping force in a pushing process of the spring while a vehicle height is increasing is set to be weaker than a damping force during a period in which the vehicle height is not increasing.