Telescopic Damper Assembly for Shorter Vehicle Packaging Space
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional damper assemblies in vehicles are length-intensive, posing installation and packaging challenges, especially in electric cars, where space is limited and costs are high, while also being complex and difficult to tune effectively.
Innovation Solution
A telescopic damper assembly design featuring an inner and outer damper configuration with sequential rod movement, utilizing a main piston and second piston to divide fluid chambers and provide fluid communication, allowing for a shorter body length with similar stroke, and incorporating gas chambers for temperature compensation, reducing cavitation and force multiplication.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Length of moving object
If a conventional damper assembly is used, then the damping function is provided, but the length becomes excessive causing installation and packaging challenges
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a telescopic configuration where the inner damper is nested within the outer damper. The inner damper includes a rod and main piston that move within the outer damper's second tube, while the outer damper provides additional stroke. This nested arrangement allows the dampers to compact into each other during compression, achieving a 20% shorter compressed length while maintaining the required damping function through sequential operation of both dampers
2Length of moving object
If the damper assembly length is reduced, then packaging space is improved, but the complexity of fluid communication and piston coordination increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the fluid communication systems of the inner and outer dampers through a unified displacement fluid passage. This passage connects the first chamber of the inner damper to the upper oil chamber of the outer damper, allowing fluid to move between both dampers during operation. This integration simplifies the overall system compared to having separate, independent damper systems while enabling the telescopic configuration to function as a cohesive unit
3Length of moving object
If sequential telescopic configuration is used, then compressed length is reduced by 20%, but the coordination between inner and outer piston movement becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs dynamic sequential operation where the inner damper and outer damper activate at different stages of the compression and rebound strokes. During compression, the inner damper operates first until its main piston reaches the second piston, then the outer damper engages. During rebound, the sequence reverses. This dynamic staging allows both dampers to contribute to the overall stroke without requiring simultaneous complex coordination, achieving compact length while maintaining operational simplicity
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 telescopic damper assembly achieves a 20% shorter compressed length compared to conventional designs, offering improved packaging space, reduced complexity, and easier tuning, while maintaining similar damping performance and stability, suitable for electric vehicles.
Implementation Method 1
A main piston is slidably disposed in the fluid chamber dividing the fluid chamber in to a compression chamber and a rebound chamber
Implementation Method 2
incorporating gas chambers for temperature compensation, reducing cavitation and force multiplication
Implementation Method 3
incorporating gas chambers for temperature compensation, reducing cavitation and force multiplication
Data Source
AI summary
A damper assembly comprises a inner damper and an outer damper in a telescopic configuration. The inner damper includes a first tube, a rod disposed at least partially within the first tube and coaxially therewith, and a main piston connected to the rod and slidably disposed within the first tube. The main piston divides an interior of the first tube into a first chamber and a second chamber. The outer damper includes a second tube disposed coaxially around the inner damper and a second piston connected to an axial end of the first tube and dividing an interior of the second tube into an upper oil chamber and a lower oil chamber, the second piston defining a second passage providing fluid communication between the upper oil chamber and the lower oil chamber. A displacement fluid passage provides fluid communication between the first chamber and the upper oil chamber.