Structured Spring Element for Vehicle Shock Absorber Noise Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing spring elements for vehicle shock absorbers face challenges in achieving soft starting behavior and reducing noise emissions, with limitations in geometrical configuration and production inefficiencies leading to waste and noise issues.
Innovation Solution
A spring element with a partially or completely structured contact surface and an encircling end edge, featuring irregular or regular structuring, grooves, and depressions to minimize the stick/slip effect and reduce noise, while optimizing the starting behavior by reducing the contact area and allowing trapped gas to escape.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-generated harmful factors
If the contact surface is structured to reduce noise emissions by minimizing the stick/slip effect, then noise emission is reduced, but the adhesion capacity of the surface may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The contact surface is structured with local variations in geometry (protrusions and recesses) to create different functional zones. The protrusions provide structural contact points that minimize the stick/slip effect and reduce noise, while the recesses maintain sufficient surface area for adhesion. This local differentiation allows the surface to simultaneously achieve noise reduction and adhesion capacity.
2Ease of operation
If bending lips are extended to achieve softer starting behavior, then soft starting is improved, but the geometrical limits of the spring element are exceeded and production becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of extending bending lips in the radial direction (which hits geometrical limits), the invention achieves softer starting behavior by modifying the contact surface geometry in the axial direction through protrusions and recesses. This dimensional shift allows soft starting optimization without compromising the overall spring element geometry or production feasibility.
3Ease of operation
If the contact area is reduced to improve starting behavior, then soft starting is enhanced, but the noise reduction effect may be diminished
Solution Approach 1:
The contact surface is segmented into multiple protrusions and recesses rather than being a continuous surface. This segmentation reduces the effective contact area to improve starting behavior while the distributed protrusions maintain sufficient contact points to minimize the stick/slip effect and reduce noise emissions.
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 solution significantly reduces noise emissions and improves the starting behavior of the spring element by minimizing the stick/slip effect and optimizing the contact area, leading to enhanced driving comfort and safety.
Implementation Method 1
The contact surface is moved radially relative to the damper cap under the influence of shearing forces, as a result of which the stick/slip effect occurs. The stick/slip effect denotes the sliding back of bodies moved counter to each other.
Implementation Method 2
The structuring of the surface results in the application in a targeted manner of irregularity to the surface, which improves the adhesion capacity of the surface.
Implementation Method 3
The contact surface is moved radially relative to the damper cap under the influence of shearing forces
Implementation Method 4
a basic body which extends along the longitudinal axis and is resiliently deformable between an uncompressed basic state and a state compressed in the direction of the longitudinal axis
Data Source
AI summary
A spring element for a vehicle shock absorber. The spring element includes a longitudinal axis and a basic body that extends along the longitudinal axis and is deformable resiliently between an uncompressed basic state and a state compressed in the direction of a longitudinal axis, and which includes an end side with a stop surface configured for contact against a damper cap of the vehicle shock absorber. The stop surface is at least partially structured. A passenger motor vehicle car can include such a spring element.