Spring-Biased Solenoid Structure for Fail-Safe Shock Absorbers
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional solenoids used in shock absorbers for vehicle suspension face challenges in reducing damping force during normal traveling while maintaining sufficient damping force at failure conditions, leading to increased power consumption and complex structures due to the need for multiple passages and current adjustments.
Innovation Solution
A solenoid design featuring a first and second fixed iron core, a first and second movable iron core, and a spring that biases the first movable iron core, with a regulating part to control movement, allowing for adjustable thrust force and biasing direction without current, enabling efficient power management and simplified structure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If the current amount supplied to the solenoid is decreased to reduce damping force during normal traveling, then power consumption is reduced, but the damping force at failure conditions becomes insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The solenoid is divided into two independent solenoid units: a first solenoid unit with a first movable iron core that can be biased by a spring, and a second solenoid unit with a second movable iron core. This segmentation allows independent control of normal operation and failure protection functions, enabling low power consumption during normal traveling while maintaining sufficient damping force at failure through the first solenoid unit's spring mechanism.
2Reliability
If two passages including pressure control passage and fail passage are provided to maintain damping force at failure, then reliability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The first solenoid unit and second solenoid unit are integrated into a single solenoid assembly that shares common structural elements such as the coil, fixed iron core, and housing. This merging approach maintains reliability by providing dual solenoid functionality while reducing device complexity through shared components and a unified structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The first movable iron core serves multiple functions: it acts as part of the magnetic circuit during normal operation and provides fail-safe biasing through the spring mechanism. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate dedicated fail-safe passages, reducing overall device complexity while maintaining reliability.
3Ease of manufacture
If the solenoid structure is simplified to reduce manufacturing cost, then ease of manufacture is improved, but control precision of thrust force is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
Different regions of the movable iron core are designed with different properties: the first movable iron core includes a biased region where the spring applies force, while other regions maintain standard magnetic properties. This local differentiation enables precise thrust force control through the spring mechanism without requiring complex manufacturing processes throughout the entire component.
Solution Approach 2:
The spring's biasing force can be adjusted by changing parameters such as spring constant, pre-compression amount, and installation position on the first movable iron core. These parameter changes provide precise control over thrust force characteristics without requiring complex manufacturing processes, maintaining ease of manufacture while achieving the required 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
The solenoid effectively reduces thrust force and power consumption during normal traveling while maintaining sufficient damping force at failure conditions, simplifying the shock absorber structure and reducing costs by eliminating the need for complex passage switching.
Implementation Method 1
a coil and a movable iron core that is attracted to one side of an axial direction of the coil by a flow of magnetic flux when a magnetic field is generated by passage of current through the coil
Implementation Method 2
a spring that biases the first movable iron core to the second fixed iron core side
Data Source
AI summary
A solenoid includes a first fixed iron core and a second fixed iron core located on a first end side and a second end side of an axial direction of a coil, a first movable iron core and a second movable iron core located therebetween and attracted by the first fixed iron core and the second fixed iron core by passage of current through the coil, respectively, a spring that biases the first movable iron core to the second fixed iron core side, and a leaf spring that regulates movement of the first movable iron core to the second fixed iron core side with respect to the second movable iron core. The movement of the first movable iron core in a direction orthogonal to the axial direction of the coil with respect to the first fixed iron core and the second fixed iron core is regulated.