Shock Absorber Structure for Steering Force Damping Response
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing shock absorbers for vehicle wheel suspensions struggle to effectively absorb wheel steering forces while maintaining responsiveness, minimizing installation space, and allowing adjustable damping behavior.
Innovation Solution
The shock absorber incorporates a combination of a plunger piston and a piston with a radial seal, which allows for efficient transmission of wheel steering forces, improved responsiveness, and adjustable damping in both compression and traction phases, without requiring coaxial tubes for fluid direction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If conventional shock absorbers use coaxial tubes to direct damper fluid, then the structure is simple, but the installation space is increased and bearing spacing is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The shock absorber is divided into two independent piston systems: a plunger piston for compression phase and a piston with radial seal for traction phase. Each piston operates independently within the outer tube, eliminating the need for nested coaxial tubes and their associated annular gaps, thereby reducing installation space while maintaining structural functionality
Solution Approach 2:
The bearing points are arranged in a radial dimension rather than being constrained by axial coaxial tube structures. The plunger piston is radially guided by bearing points on the inner circumference of the outer tube, maximizing bearing spacing in the radial direction without increasing axial length, thus optimizing installation space
2Speed
If conventional shock absorbers use seals that require breakaway torque, then the structure is simple, but responsiveness is reduced due to stick-slip effects
Solution Approach 1:
The conventional seal-based mounting system is replaced with a lubricated bearing point system. The plunger piston is mounted on bearing points that are continuously lubricated by damper fluid, eliminating the static friction and breakaway torque characteristics of seals, thereby achieving immediate responsiveness without stick-slip effects
Solution Approach 2:
The damper fluid serves a dual function: it provides damping action and simultaneously lubricates the bearing points of the plunger piston. This self-lubricating system eliminates the need for separate lubrication mechanisms while ensuring continuous low-friction operation and high responsiveness
3Force
If bearing spacing is small in conventional shock absorbers, then the structure is compact, but the ability to transmit wheel steering forces is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The bearing spacing is made variable rather than fixed. During compression phase, the plunger piston moves axially relative to the outer tube, dynamically increasing the bearing spacing between the bearing points. This dynamic adjustment allows large bearing spacing during force transmission while maintaining compact overall dimensions when not in use
4Adaptability or versatility
If damper valves are located inside the outer tube, then the structure is integrated, but adjustability and accessibility are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The damper valves are extracted from the interior of the outer tube and mounted on the external surface. This external mounting provides direct accessibility for adjustment while maintaining a integrated valve system that controls both compression and traction phase damping through the two independent piston systems
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 configuration enhances the shock absorber's ability to transmit wheel steering forces without deformation, improves responsiveness by minimizing stick-slip effects, and allows for efficient adjustment of damping characteristics, thereby enhancing vehicle handling and stability.
Implementation Method 1
a plunger piston (18), which is displaceable in the outer tube (24) in and counter to a longitudinal direction (L) of the outer tube, for displacing damper fluid and thus for damping a movement
Implementation Method 2
a piston (42), which is provided with a radial seal (48), for displacing damper fluid and thus for damping a movement
Implementation Method 3
The bearing points of the plunger piston on the inside of the outer tube can simultaneously be lubricated by means of the damper fluid
Implementation Method 4
the shock absorber is designed to absorb wheel steering forces
Data Source
AI summary
A shock absorber for a wheel suspension of a vehicle, wherein the shock absorber is configured to absorb wheel steering forces. The shock absorber has an outer tube with a plunger piston movable in the outer tube in and against a longitudinal direction of the outer tube for damping a movement when changing a length of the shock absorber in a first direction, and a piston provided with a radial seal for damping a movement when changing the length of the shock absorber in a second direction opposite the first direction.