Suspension Valve Diagnostics Using Pump Pressure Feedback
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle suspension systems face challenges in minimizing pitch and roll movements while maintaining ride comfort, particularly due to the limitations of mechanical stabilizer bars and hydraulic anti-roll systems, which can compromise cornering and braking performance and increase complexity and cost.
Innovation Solution
A valve diagnostic system for suspension systems that includes a state module, valve control module, pump control module, and diagnosis module to selectively operate electric pumps and diagnose faults in valves based on pressure changes, allowing for accurate valve operation and improved roll and pitch control without the need for pressure sensors in each hydraulic circuit.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If mechanical stabilizer bars are used to counteract roll moments, then roll stiffness is improved, but packaging constraints and device complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces mechanical stabilizer bars with a hydraulic system that uses fluid pressure to counteract roll moments. The hydraulic connection between dampers allows one damper to apply force to the opposite damper through fluid pressure, eliminating the need for mechanical linkages and reducing packaging constraints while maintaining roll stiffness.
2Stability of the object's composition
If hydraulic anti-roll systems are used to increase roll stiffness, then cornering performance is improved, but ride comfort deteriorates due to transmitted bump forces
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the hydraulic system into independent damper circuits that can be selectively connected or disconnected. By controlling which dampers are hydraulically connected, the system can provide roll stiffness when needed while isolating individual dampers to prevent bump force transmission, thus maintaining ride comfort.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a dynamic hydraulic connection system where the connectivity between dampers can be changed in real-time based on driving conditions. The system dynamically switches between connected and disconnected states to optimize the balance between roll stiffness and ride comfort, preventing harmful bump force transmission while maintaining stability when required.
3Measurement precision
If pressure sensors are installed in each hydraulic circuit for valve diagnosis, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes a single pressure sensor serve multiple functions by using it to monitor pressure changes across different hydraulic circuits through the common pump line. The pressure sensor detects pressure increases that indicate valve closure in any connected circuit, eliminating the need for separate sensors in each circuit while maintaining diagnostic capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses the common pump line as an intermediary medium to transmit pressure information from multiple hydraulic circuits to a single pressure sensor. The pressure sensor monitors the common line pressure, which reflects the state of valves in different circuits, enabling centralized diagnosis without requiring distributed sensors.
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 system effectively minimizes pitch and roll movements, enhances ride comfort, and reduces complexity and cost by accurately diagnosing valve faults and optimizing valve operation, thereby improving vehicle stability and performance during cornering and braking.
Implementation Method 1
pump hydraulic fluid toward the suspension system; record second values of the pressures within the suspension system measured using the pressure sensors, respectively, after a beginning of the operation of the electric pump
Data Source
AI summary
A state module selectively sets a present state to a first state in a predetermined order of states; a valve control module determines first target open and closed states for valves of a suspension system based on the present state and opens and closes the valves according to the first target open and closed states, respectively; a pump control module configured to, when the valves are in the first target open and closed states, respectively, selectively operate an electric pump of the suspension system in a first direction and pump hydraulic fluid toward the suspension system; and a diagnosis module configured to: record first and second values of pressures within the suspension system measured using pressure sensors, respectively, before and after the operation of the electric pump in the first direction, respectively; and selectively diagnose faults in a first subset of the valves based on whether pressure increases occurred.