Vehicle Suspension Assembly with Vertical Spring Guide
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle suspension assemblies require a wider overall width due to arched spring movements and must withstand high loads, which poses challenges in space efficiency and load distribution.
Innovation Solution
A suspension assembly design featuring an upper arm, lower arm, and air spring with articulated joints that allow vertical movement within a limited space, utilizing a support structure to guide kinematic movement and create a lever effect to reduce spring loads by increasing travel, with articulated joints connecting the spring to both the hub and support structures.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Force
If the spring performs an arched movement to connect the upper arm to the support structure, then the suspension assembly can support vehicle loads, but the overall width of the suspension assembly increases
Solution Approach 1:
The spring movement is constrained to a substantially vertical path rather than an arched path, changing the dimension of movement from a two-dimensional arc to a one-dimensional vertical line. This is achieved through the support structure that guides the spring along a vertical kinematic path, reducing the horizontal space requirement while maintaining load bearing capability.
Solution Approach 2:
A support structure with a support element is introduced as an intermediary between the first articulated joint and the first end of the spring. This intermediary component guides the spring's movement vertically and transfers loads between the spring and the support structure, enabling the spring to maintain its load bearing function while moving in a space-efficient vertical path.
2Area of stationary object
If the spring is constrained to move in a limited vertical space, then the overall width is reduced, but the spring must withstand elevated loads
Solution Approach 1:
The support structure acts as a mechanical intermediary that provides a lever effect. By positioning the support element between the first articulated joint and the spring, it creates a mechanical advantage that reduces the load on the spring while maintaining the vehicle's weight support capability. The support structure distributes and transfers forces through its rigid connection to the vehicle body.
Solution Approach 2:
The support structure is designed to move dynamically with the spring along its vertical path, maintaining optimal geometric relationships during suspension travel. This dynamic configuration allows the lever arm lengths to adjust during movement, optimizing the load reduction effect throughout the suspension's range of motion.
3Force
If the spring travel is increased to reduce load through a lever effect, then the relationship between spring movement and wheel movement is greater than 1, but the movement must occur within a defined vertical space
Solution Approach 1:
The spring movement is directed vertically rather than horizontally, utilizing the vertical dimension between the support structure and hub assembly. This vertical orientation allows the spring to achieve greater travel distance within the available space, creating the lever effect needed to reduce loads while fitting within the constrained vertical envelope of the suspension assembly.
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 reduces the overall width of the suspension assembly and distributes loads more efficiently by allowing greater spring movement relative to wheel movement, enhancing travel and reducing stress on the spring through a lever effect within the defined vertical space.
Implementation Method 1
a spring, preferably an air spring, having a first lower end and a second upper end
Implementation Method 2
the spring moves by a greater amount in relation to the movement of the wheel and this makes it possible to reduce the load on the spring. In other words, thanks to the present invention, when the spring is stressed, the relationship between the movement of the spring and the movement of the wheel is greater than 1 and this makes it possible to create a lever effect, which reduces the loads on the spring
Data Source
Figure 1
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AI summary
A suspension assembly for a vehicle (1); the suspension assembly (3) comprising an upper arm (12); a lower arm (18); and a spring (10), in particular an air spring, having a first lower end (10a) and a second upper end (10b); the spring (10) being connected to the upper arm (12) by means of a first articulated joint (15), in particular a cylindrical articulated joint.