DE102017122312A1 - Control valve for a multi-chamber air spring - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a control valve for supplying, discharging and / or blocking of compressed air in chambers of a multi-chamber air spring, wherein the control valve is designed as an exchangeable valve insert (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8).

Description

The invention relates to a control valve for supplying, discharging and / or blocking compressed air in chambers of a multi-chamber air spring.

For influencing the characteristics of a chassis of a motor vehicle, in particular for producing and ensuring a permanent contact of the wheels or the wheel treads with the road, for cushioning shocks and for positively influencing the lift, pitch and roll behavior of the vehicle body are air spring systems in various forms known from the prior art. Simple air spring systems usually have only one air chamber. More elaborate, more comfortable systems have a main air chamber, to which via a line system and arranged in the line system valve at least one additional air chamber - in the majority up to a total of four - can be connected. Thus, the effective total volume of compressed air can be changed in such a multi-chamber air spring and thus the spring stiffness or the chassis characteristics are affected.

Single-chamber and multi-chamber air springs are state-of-the-art components designed and produced specifically for each type of vehicle. Thus, the scope for individual votes is limited to the particular component applied. On the other hand, the large number of variants requires storage space, deployment effort and a correspondingly high tool variance in production and service.

The object of the invention has been found to limit the variety of variants and the associated storage and deployment effort in production and service.

This object is achieved by the invention by the use of a control valve for supplying, discharging and / or blocking of compressed air in the chambers of a multi-chamber air spring in that a replaceable valve insert is used as the control valve. By replacing the valve core can with identical structure of a multi-chamber air spring, z. B. with three or more chambers, an air spring by the use of different valve inserts with only one chamber or with up to four or more chambers are constructed. For this purpose, only the valve insert as a one-way valve, two-way valve or multi-way valve run and use to control the compressed air regulation or the compressed air volume in the multi-chamber air spring. The multi-chamber air spring has as basic element of a kit always an identical structure. Depending on the valve insert used, it works as a single-chamber or multi-chamber system.

Accordingly, the interchangeable valve insert as one, two, three and / or designed as a multi-way valve insert and find correspondingly in conjunction with a structurally uniform multi-chamber air spring application.

The exchangeable valve insert can be designed in a preferred refinement of the subject of the invention as a hollow body whose cavity is connectable to one of the air spring chamber to increase the volume.

In addition, the volume of the cavity in the valve core can be expandable by attachable to the valve insert, screw-on, attachable, cavity-containing components.

By use or replacement of valve inserts with different valve paths are arbitrary chamber combinations in a multi-chamber air spring selectable or adjustable.

Preferably, switching or proportional valves are used as valve inserts for controlling the volume in a multi-chamber air spring.

Advantages, features and details of the inventive solution for a control valve or for a multi-chamber air spring resulting from the following description of schematically illustrated in the figures of a drawing embodiments. The features and feature combinations described, as shown below in the figures of the drawing, and described with reference to the drawing features and combinations of features are applicable not only in the combination, but also in other combinations or in isolation, without causing the scope of the Is left invention.

• 1 schematisch eine Mehrkammer-Luftfeder mit einem Mehrwege-Steuerventil entsprechend dem Stand der Technik;
• 2 eine Mehrkammer-Luftfeder mit einem austauschbaren Ventileinsatz nach der Erfindung;
• 3 eine Mehrkammer-Luftfeder mit einem Zwei-Wege-Ventileinsatz nach der Erfindung;
• 4 eine Mehrkammer-Luftfeder mit einem gegenüber dem Ausführungsbeispiel nach 3 alternativen Zwei-Wege-Ventileinsatz nach der Erfindung;
• 5 eine Mehrkammer-Luftfeder mit einem Drei-Wege-Ventileinsatz nach der Erfindung;
• 6 das Ausführungsbeispiel nach 5 mit einem austauschbaren Mehr-Wege-Ventileinsatz mit Hohlraum zur Volumenvergrößerung in den Luftfeder-Kammern und
• 7 eine Mehrkammer-Luftfeder mit einem austauschbaren Ventileinsatz mit erweitertem Hohlraum.

It shows:

• 1 schematically a multi-chamber air spring with a multi-way control valve according to the prior art;
• 2 a multi-chamber air spring with a replaceable valve core according to the invention;
• 3 a multi-chamber air spring with a two-way valve insert according to the invention;
• 4 a multi-chamber air spring with respect to the embodiment according to 3 alternative two-way valve insert according to the invention;
• 5 a multi-chamber air spring with a three-way valve insert according to the invention;
• 6 the embodiment according to 5 with a replaceable multi-way valve insert with cavity to increase the volume in the air spring chambers and
• 7 a multi-chamber air spring with a replaceable valve insert with extended cavity.

1 schematically shows a multi-chamber air spring with three air spring chambers V1 . V2 and V3 , The three chambers usually have different volumes. The chambers V1 . V2 . V3 Depending on the valve position, compressed air is supplied via a control valve S , It may be a switching valve, with the appropriate control (electrically) either only one of the chambers, two of the chambers together or all three chambers are acted upon by compressed air. Instead of a switching valve and the use of a proportional valve for continuously changing the flow cross-section of the connecting channel between a closed and an open position of the valve is conceivable. It is also conceivable that different chamber combinations, z. B. V1 + V3 or V1 + V2 or V2 + V3 or only one of the chambers or all three chambers are controlled together. This results in a variety of representable spring or damping rates. With the largest volume (all three chambers V1 . V2 and V3 interconnected), for example, the softest suspension behavior would be adjustable. With only the admission of the smallest of the three chambers with compressed air via the switching valve S Then the hardest spring rate would be adjustable accordingly.

Such a design of a multi-chamber air spring is the most complex and thus most expensive variant, which comes only for a few vehicles as an application into consideration. Therefore, in the prior art, the various multi-chamber air spring designs and single-chamber versions are known.

In contrast, the invention proposes to make structurally uniformly constructed multi-chamber air springs thereby universally applicable cost that a control valve, a replaceable valve core 1 (please refer 2 ) is applied. This valve insert 1 to 1 is designed as a one-way valve. About him is only the chamber V1 applied.

The valve insert 1 to 2 can be easily replaced (see 3 ) through a valve core 2 which can be designed as a two-way valve. With this valve insert 2 You can choose the chamber V1 or the chamber V3 or the chambers V1 and V3 be acted upon together with compressed air. The chamber V2 the multi-chamber air spring is shut down in this variant.

4 shows an alternative embodiment of the inventive solution 3 : with the two-way valve, in contrast to the solution after 3 the chambers V1 and V2 applied. Again, the compressed air can be made so that either the chamber V1 alone or the chamber V2 alone or the chambers V1 and V2 be acted upon together. In this variant is the chamber V3 shut down.

Of course, a variant is conceivable with the inventive solution, according to the multi-valve solution after 1 (Prior art) corresponds. This is the valve insert 5 executable as a three-way valve, allowing either chamber V1 , the chamber V2 or the chamber V3 compressed air is applied, or that optionally the combination V1 + V3, V1 + V2 or V2 + V3 can be acted upon. Furthermore, of course, the combination exposure V1 + V2 + V3 is implemented here as the softest suspension solution.

A replaceable valve core according to the invention can be combined with a further advantage (see 6 ): a valve core 6 can easily with a cavity 7 be provided. This cavity 7 Can be used to increase in combination all chamber volumes or - with appropriate design of the control valve - only one of the chambers of the multi-chamber air spring can be increased.

In 7 another embodiment of the invention is shown in a multi-chamber air spring. In principle, their function - as well as the function of the alternative embodiment according to 6 - the to 5 described operation. In contrast, the valve insert 8th at 7 through one in the valve core 8th integrated cavity 9 and a second cavity in a separate component 10 increased. The cavity 10 is in the form of one to the valve core 8th attachable, screw-on or attachable component 10 executed. The compound can by any connection means, such as. B. be brought about by screwing, etc.

For the expert, the great advantages that can be achieved with the subject of the invention, readily apparent: in the manner of a kit with a uniform construction of the multi-chamber air spring and their universal use can be due to the relatively compact and inexpensive different valve inserts manufacturing Significantly reduce storage, tooling and handling costs.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

S

control valve

V1, V2, V3

Chambers of the multi-valve air spring or chamber volumes

1

valve core

2

valve core

3

valve core

4

valve core

5

valve core

6

valve core

7

formed in the valve insert cavity

8th

valve core

9

Cavity in 8

10

Attachable, screw-on, attachable component with cavity

Claims (7)

Control valve for supplying, discharging and / or blocking compressed air in chambers of a multi-chamber air spring, characterized in that the control valve is designed as an exchangeable valve insert (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8). Control valve after Claim 1 , characterized in that as a valve insert (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8) is a one, two, three and / or multi-way valve insert is applicable. Control valve according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the valve insert (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8) is designed as a hollow body whose cavity (7, 9) with one of the chambers (V1, V2, V3 ) of the multi-chamber air spring is connectable. Control valve after Claim 3 , characterized in that the volume of the cavity (7) in the valve insert (6, 8) by a to the valve insert (6, 8) attachable, screw-on, attachable component (10) is expandable. Multi-chamber air spring with a valve core (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that by use or replacement of valve inserts (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 , 8) any chamber combinations are buildable. Multi-chamber air spring after Claim 5 , characterized in that as a valve insert (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8) switching or proportional valves are applicable. Motor vehicle with multi-chamber air spring after Claim 5 or 6 , with control valve according to one of the Claims 1 to 4 ,

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