Height-Adjustable Spring-Damper System for a Vehicle

Abstract

A height-adjustable spring-damper system for a vehicle for setting a ride position and payload compensation of the vehicle separately from one another includes a damper cylinder, a supporting spring, a first ring cylinder which has a first ring piston disposed displaceably in the first ring cylinder and which defines a first working chamber with a first working volume, and a second ring cylinder which has a second ring piston disposed displaceably in the second ring cylinder and which defines a second working chamber with a second working volume.

Claims

1.-10. (canceled)

11. A height-adjustable spring-damper system for a vehicle for setting a ride position and payload compensation of the vehicle separately from one another, comprising: a damper cylinder; a supporting spring; a first ring cylinder which has a first ring piston disposed displaceably in the first ring cylinder and which defines a first working chamber with a first working volume; and a second ring cylinder which has a second ring piston disposed displaceably in the second ring cylinder and which defines a second working chamber with a second working volume; wherein the first ring cylinder with the first ring piston is configured such that through changing of the first working volume, the supporting spring and the damper cylinder are displaced relative to one another along a longitudinal axis of the damper cylinder and a length of the height-adjustable spring-damper system is set along the longitudinal axis to set the ride position of the vehicle; and wherein the second ring cylinder with the second ring piston is configured such that through changing of the second working volume, the supporting spring and the damper cylinder are displaced relative to one another along the longitudinal axis of the damper cylinder and the length of the height-adjustable spring-damper system is set along the longitudinal axis to set the payload compensation of the vehicle.

12. The height-adjustable spring-damper system according to claim 11, wherein the supporting spring, the first ring cylinder, the first ring piston, the second ring cylinder, and the second ring piston are disposed concentrically about the longitudinal axis of the damper cylinder.

13. The height-adjustable spring-damper system according to claim 11, wherein the first ring cylinder, the first ring piston, the second ring cylinder, and the second ring piston are disposed annularly around the damper cylinder, wherein the first ring piston is sealed off with respect to the first ring cylinder and the damper cylinder, and wherein the second ring piston is sealed off with respect to the second ring cylinder and the damper cylinder.

14. The height-adjustable spring-damper system according to claim 11 further comprising: a fluid tank; a fluid pump; and a pump valve; wherein the fluid pump is configured such that, dependent on a valve position of the pump valve and a delivery direction of the fluid pump, the fluid pump pumps a fluid from the fluid tank into the first or the second working chamber and also from the first or the second working chamber into the fluid tank, and the fluid pump changes the first working volume and the second working volume.

15. The height-adjustable spring-damper system according to claim 14 further comprising a lowering valve with a pass-through position and a blocking position, wherein via the lowering valve the fluid is conductable from the first or the second working chamber into the fluid tank bypassing the fluid pump.

16. The height-adjustable spring-damper system according to claim 15, wherein the lowering valve has a return spring for spring return and, in a non-actuated state, the lowering valve is movable into the pass-through position under action of the spring return.

17. The height-adjustable spring-damper system according to claim 11, wherein the first ring cylinder and the second ring cylinder are formed integrally with one another such that the first working chamber and the second working chamber form a common cylinder chamber in which the first ring piston and the second ring piston are disposed.

18. The height-adjustable spring-damper system according to claim 17, wherein a respective displaceability of the first ring piston and the second ring piston in the common cylinder chamber is limited by piston stops which are formed by the first and/or the second ring cylinder or which are fixed relative to the first and/or the second ring cylinder.

19. The height-adjustable spring-damper system according to claim 14, wherein: the first ring piston defines in the first ring cylinder a first storage chamber with a first storage volume; the second ring piston defines in the second ring cylinder a second storage chamber with a second storage volume; the first storage chamber and the second storage chamber form the fluid tank; and a first cylinder volume comprises the first working volume and the first storage volume and a second cylinder volume comprises the second working volume and the second storage volume.

20. A single-track vehicle, comprising: the height-adjustable spring-damper system according to claim 11 disposed at a rear axle of the single-track vehicle, wherein the height-adjustable spring-damper system sets a ride position of the single-track vehicle and compensates for a payload acting on the single-track vehicle.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0027] FIG. 1 shows a first height-adjustable spring-damper system in a first position;

[0028] FIG. 2 shows a first height-adjustable spring-damper system in a second position;

[0029] FIG. 3 shows a first height-adjustable spring-damper system in a third position;

[0030] FIG. 4 shows a first height-adjustable spring-damper system in a fourth position;

[0031] FIG. 5 shows a second height-adjustable spring-damper system in a first position;

[0032] FIG. 6 shows a second height-adjustable spring-damper system in the first position;

[0033] FIG. 7 shows a second height-adjustable spring-damper system in a second position;

[0034] FIG. 8 shows a second height-adjustable spring-damper system in a third position;

[0035] FIG. 9 shows a second height-adjustable spring-damper system in a fourth position;

[0036] FIG. 10 shows a third height-adjustable spring-damper system; and

[0037] FIG. 11 shows a fourth height-adjustable spring-damper system.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0038] The figures are schematic by way of example. Identical reference signs in the figures indicate identical functional and/or structural features.

[0039] FIG. 1 illustrates a first embodiment of a height-adjustable spring-damper system according to the invention for a vehicle. The first and second ring cylinders 11, 21 are formed integrally with one another as a common cylinder and define in the interior of the cylinder a common receiving cavity in which the first and second ring pistons 12, 22 are received. Two annular stops 51, 52 are arranged in the cylinder which is composed of the first and second ring cylinders 11, 21. A first stop 51, which is fixed to the cylinder between the first and second ring pistons 12, 22, limits the displaceability of the first ring piston 12, and a second stop 52, which is arranged on an open end of the cylinder, limits the displaceability of the second ring piston 22. The cylinder composed of the first and second ring cylinders 11, 21 and the first and second ring pistons 12, 22 received therein are in each case of annular form and arranged around a damper cylinder 31 of the spring-damper system. The cylinder composed of the first and second ring cylinders 11, 21 is fixed to the damper cylinder 31, and the first and second ring pistons 12, 22 are displaceable in the cylinder along the damper cylinder 31. The first and second ring pistons 12, 22 are each sealed off with respect to the damper cylinder 31, or to an outer surface of the damper cylinder 31, and with respect to the cylinder composed of the first and second ring cylinders 11, 21, or to an inner surface of the cylinder, by sealing means (not illustrated), with the result that the ring pistons 12, 22 each define a working chamber 13, 23 in the cylinder.

[0040] The first ring piston 12 forms a collar which extends parallel to the longitudinal axis L of the damper cylinder 31 and which also bears annularly against the damper cylinder 31. An end side of the collar that faces the supporting spring 32 is formed as a bearing surface or stop surface for the second ring piston 22. From the second ring piston 22, there likewise extends in the direction of the supporting spring 32 a collar, against whose end side which faces the supporting spring 32 the supporting spring 32 bears in a manner supported by a spring disk 54. Moreover, by way of the collar of the second ring piston 22, an auxiliary spring space extending annularly around the damper cylinder 31 is formed by the second ring piston 22, in which auxiliary spring space there is arranged an auxiliary spring 53 which is intended to prevent possible detachment of the supporting spring 32 from the second ring piston in that, in the event of too little pretension of the supporting spring 32, the auxiliary spring 53 pushes the spring disk 54 to the supporting spring 32.

[0041] The first ring piston 12 seals off a portion of the receiving cavity of the cylinder and, in this way, forms a first working chamber 13, whose working volume is minimal in FIG. 1. Analogously, the second ring piston 22 also seals off a portion of the receiving cavity of the cylinder and, in this way, forms a second working chamber 23 with a second working volume, which, in the illustrated exemplary embodiment, is arranged between the first and second ring pistons 12, 22. A cavity 15 connected to the second working chamber 23 is formed parallel to the collar of the first ring piston 12, the volume of the cavity not however belonging to the second working volume and also not changing. The cavity 15 may be filled with fluid, however. Alternatively, the collar of the first ring piston could also be of wider form and formed as far as the first stop 51, so that the volume of the cavity 15 is no longer connected to the second working chamber 23. The second working volume of the second working chamber 23 is likewise minimal in FIG. 1.

[0042] Since the first and second working chambers 13, 23, or their respective working volumes, are in each case minimal, the length or height of the spring-damper system along the longitudinal axis L is minimal, this corresponding to a lower ride position without payload. The vehicle is therefore set to no payload or to travel without a pillion rider and is at its lower ride level.

[0043] For controlling the displacement of the first and second ring pistons 12, 22, a hydraulic system belonging to the height-adjustable spring-damper system and composed of a fluid tank 41, a fluid pump 42, a pump valve 43 and a lowering valve 44 is also illustrated in FIG. 1. The components of the hydraulic system are connected fluidically or in terms of flow to the first and second working chambers 13, 23 via fluid channels.

[0044] The lowering valve 44 has, by way of a return spring 441, a spring return position, wherein the lowering valve 44, in the illustrated state, has been actuated and is in its blocking position. Furthermore, the pump valve 43 is in a position in which fluid is able to be delivered by the fluid pump 42 from the fluid tank 41 through the check valve 45 into the first working chamber 13. The connection of the pump valve 43 to the second working chamber 23 is blocked. It is advantageous here that the components situated at the outside in the radial direction with respect to the longitudinal axis L, that is to say the common cylinder composed of the first and second ring cylinders 11, 21, are positionally fixed with respect to the damper cylinder 31. If such a damper system is installed on a vehicle, it is not absolutely necessary for there to be additional encapsulation, in order for example to prevent ingress of dirt between the components or to reduce the risk of injury. Moreover, it is also the case that the connections for the associated hydraulic system will not be moved and are positionally fixed, whereby it is not necessary to provide as fluid channels any flexible hoses, which can be easily damaged.

[0045] The spring-damper systems illustrated in FIGS. 2 to 4 correspond substantially to the spring-damper system in FIG. 1. The valve positions, as described with regard to FIG. 1, allow fluid to be pumped by the fluid pump 42 from the fluid tank 41 into the first working chamber 13. Consequently, the first ring piston 12 is displaced along the longitudinal axis L in the direction of the supporting spring 32. During the displacement, the collar of the first ring piston 12 pushes against the second ring piston 22 and displaces the latter downward along the longitudinal axis L toward the supporting spring 32. The second ring piston 22 is pushed in the direction of the spring disk 54 and displaces the latter in the direction of the supporting spring 32, with the result that the supporting spring 32 is moved along the longitudinal axis L. The second working chamber 23 is likewise displaced along the longitudinal axis L toward the supporting spring 32, but does not change its working volume. The cavity 15 being displaced above the second ring piston 22 still corresponds to the cavity 15 parallel to the collar that does not belong to the second working chamber 23. The displacement of the supporting spring 32 results in the damper piston 311 of the damper cylinder 31 being displaced too, and the length of the spring-damper system along the longitudinal axis L is increased. The increase in length results in the vehicle being brought, without payload compensation or without a change to the payload setting, into its upper ride position, which corresponds to the target vehicle level.

[0046] In FIG. 2, the lowering valve 44 has been displaced into its pass-through position, which corresponds to its basic or rest position and in which fluid can flow from the first working chamber 13 into the fluid tank 41. The first ring piston 12 is displaced along the longitudinal axis L away from the supporting spring 32 via the second ring piston or via the second working chamber 23 solely by way of forces acting on the damper cylinder 31 and on the supporting spring 32 along the longitudinal axis L, whereby fluid is pressed out of the first working chamber 13 through the lowering valve 44 into the fluid tank 41. In order to block the fluid flow through the pump valve 43 and the fluid pump 42, the check valve 45 is provided, this preventing a fluid flow. In an alternative embodiment, without a check valve 45, the pump 42 can additionally deliver fluid from the first working chamber 13 into the fluid tank 41. As a result of the valve positions of the lowering valve 44 and the pump valve 43 assumed in FIG. 2, the length of the spring-damper system along the longitudinal axis L can be reduced and the vehicle can be lowered again. The raising and lowering is realized here without influencing of payload compensation via the second ring piston 22 or without a change to the second working volume of the second working chamber 23.

[0047] The spring-damper system illustrated in FIG. 3 corresponds to the spring-damper system in FIG. 1, and the spring-damper system illustrated in FIG. 4 corresponds to the spring-damper system in FIG. 2. However, in the spring-damper systems in FIGS. 3 and 4, the second ring piston 22 has in each case been displaced along the longitudinal axis L toward the supporting spring 32 for the purpose of compensating for a payload. The second working chamber 23 has a second working volume, which is identical in FIGS. 3 and 4, so that payload compensation by way of the second ring piston 22 remains uninfluenced by the displacement of the first ring piston 12 and by the associated setting of the ride position. In FIG. 4, the delimitation of the second working chamber 23 is indicated by dashed lines, this in each case being covered by a lower edge of the first stop 51 in FIGS. 1 and 3.

[0048] FIG. 5 illustrates an embodiment of the spring-damper system that differs from the embodiment variant in FIGS. 1 to 4. The first ring piston 12 is fixed to the damper cylinder 31 and not displaceable with respect thereto. The first ring piston 12 is arranged in a first ring cylinder 11 which is displaceable along the longitudinal axis L. The first ring piston 12 subdivides the interior of the first ring cylinder 11 into a storage chamber 14 and a working chamber 13.

[0049] The first ring piston 12 forms a collar which extends parallel to the longitudinal axis L and annularly around the damper cylinder 31 and which surrounds the damper cylinder 31 in a sleeve-like manner. The second ring piston 22 likewise forms a collar, which bears in a radial direction with respect to the longitudinal axis L against the collar of the first ring piston 12 and bears at an end side against the first ring cylinder 11. The second ring piston 22 is displaceable along the longitudinal axis L. The second ring piston 22 is received displaceably in the second ring cylinder 21, which is displaceable along the longitudinal axis L with respect to the second ring piston 22. The second ring piston 22 defines in the second ring cylinder 21 a second storage chamber 24 and a second working chamber 23. In the exemplary embodiment shown, the supporting spring 32 directly adjoins an end side of the second ring cylinder 21.

[0050] The sum of the first working volume of the first working chamber 13 and the first storage volume of the first storage chamber 14 is constant, and the sum of the second working volume of the second working chamber 23 and the second storage volume of the second storage chamber 24 is likewise constant. Through changing of the first or second working volume by means of the hydraulic system of the spring-damper system, the respective ring cylinder 11, 21 can be displaced.

[0051] The hydraulic system consists in this case of a fluid pump 42, a pump valve 43, a lowering valve 44, a check valve 45 and the fluid channels, which connect the components to the first and second working chambers 13, 23 and to the first and second storage chambers 14, 24. Here, the storage chambers 14, 24 replace the tank, whereby the structural space requirement of the spring-damper system is reduced. The functioning principle is identical to that of the hydraulic system in FIGS. 1 to 4, with an adapted pump valve 43 being used.

[0052] The lowering valve 44, in the state shown, is in a blocking position, and the pump valve 43 is in a position in which fluid can be pumped by the fluid pump 42 from the first storage chamber 14 into the first working chamber 13. In FIG. 5, the first and second working chambers 13, 23 each have their minimum volume, whereby the height of the vehicle or the length of the spring-damper arrangement along the longitudinal axis L is minimal.

[0053] If fluid is pumped by the fluid pump 42 from the first storage chamber 14 into the first working chamber 13, the first ring cylinder 11 is displaced along the longitudinal axis L, wherein the second ring piston 22 is consequently displaced, via its end surface situated against the first ring cylinder 11, along the longitudinal axis L in the direction of the supporting spring 32. In this case, the payload setting, which is set to a minimum payload in FIG. 5, is not influenced.

[0054] FIGS. 6 to 9 each show different settings of the spring-damper system from FIG. 5, without the associated hydraulic system. FIG. 6 corresponds to the setting from FIG. 5 and corresponds to a lower ride position without payload. In FIG. 7, the spring-damper system is set to an upper ride position without payload. Here, the first working chamber 13 has its maximum volume, and the second working chamber 23 still has a minimum volume. The state illustrated in FIG. 8 corresponds to the upper ride position with payload. Both the first and the second working chambers 13, 23 have their maximum volume in each case. In FIG. 9, the spring-damper system is set in a lower ride position with payload.

[0055] Switching between the upper and lower ride position is in each case possible without influencing of the payload setting by way of the second working chamber 23. Equally, payload compensation by means of the second working chamber 23 can in each case be carried out without influencing of the ride position by means of the first working chamber 13.

[0056] FIGS. 10 and 11 each illustrate a further alternative embodiment, with a common cylinder fixed to the damper cylinder 31 and formed from the first ring cylinder 11 and the second ring cylinder 21. The first ring piston 12 and the second ring piston 22 are each displaceable in the common cylinder along the longitudinal axis L. Both embodiments consequently have a structure and a function that are similar to the structure and the function of the variant shown in FIGS. 1 to 4. The associated hydraulic system may therefore also be identical to the hydraulic system shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, it not however being illustrated in FIGS. 10 and 11. Moreover, in both variants in FIGS. 10 and 11, the spring disk 54 is formed in each case in an integral manner by the second ring piston 22 or by an end surface of the second ring piston 22 that faces the supporting spring 32.

[0057] The spring-damper system illustrated in FIG. 10 differs substantially in that the second ring piston 22 forms a collar which extends to the first ring piston 12 and by way of which, in a state in which the second working volume of the second working chamber 23 is minimal, it bears against the first ring piston 12. The collar formed by the first ring piston 12 serves only for guiding the first ring piston 12 on the damper cylinder 31 and no longer displaces the second ring piston 22. Moreover, due to the collar formed by the second ring piston 22, the volume of the cavity 15, which is arranged parallel to the collar of the first ring piston 12 and of the second ring piston 22, is reduced.

[0058] The second ring piston 22 as disclosed in FIG. 11 likewise forms a collar extending to the first ring piston 12, wherein it is not the case that the second ring piston 22 bears directly against the damper cylinder 31 and is guided by the latter, but rather the second ring piston bears against a collar which is formed by the first ring piston 12 and which extends parallel to the longitudinal axis L. The guide surface for guidance in the longitudinal direction L of the second ring piston 22 is thus provided by the first ring piston 12, and the guide surface for guidance of the first ring piston 12 in the longitudinal direction L is provided by the damper cylinder 31. The advantage of this embodiment variant is inter alia that both the first ring piston 12 and the second ring piston 22 have a large bearing surface on their respective guide surface for guidance in the longitudinal direction L.

[0059] The invention, in terms of its implementation, is not restricted to the preferred embodiments specified above. Rather, a number of variants which make use of the presented solution, even for fundamentally different embodiments, are conceivable.