TECHNICAL FIELD

[01] The present disclosure relates to vehicle suspension systems, and in particular to semi active suspension systems that harness vibrational motions.

BACKGROUND

[02] In many parts of the world, the roads are full of bumps and potholes which shorten the operating life of vehicle suspensions, and causes disturbance to the passengers of the car. These roads provide the best environment for energy harvesting from linear motion of the suspension system as the cars keep facing obstacles and bumps in an almost continuous manner.

[03] A regenerative vehicle suspension system is a type of suspension systems that converts linear or rotational motion into electrical energy, in contrast to conventional suspensions which dissipate this energy as heat.

[04] Additionally, regenerative vehicle suspension systems create the feel of riding comfort for passengers. Active and semi-active suspension systems are used to dampen out the vibrations, which is transmitted from the roads. Automatic controllers are used to oppose the vibrational displacements through active actuators or through varying the damping ratio of the suspension system to enable energy dissipation.

[05] The idea of the regenerative damping systems is known in the art, for instance the U.S. patent number 7087342 provides a passive and semi-active vehicle suspension system that includes a regenerative damper that converts vibration energy within the vehicle into a voltage. A module is used to measure the voltage produced by each regenerative damper, and in response, changes electric switch settings to implement a regenerative suspension strategy. Within the regenerative suspension strategy, the electric switch changes electric connections for each regenerative damper between an open circuit, a closed circuit completed by circuitry resistance, and a closed circuit completed by a power resistance, and a closed circuit completed by circuitry for charging a battery. Additionally, the module adjusts the damping forces within each regenerative damper depending on the direction of movement of the regenerative damper. [06] The U.S. patent number 8,448,952 discloses an active vehicle suspension system with an actuator having an electric motor providing energy by converting linear movement of a ball screw into rotational movement of a rotor having a hollow core permitting at least a portion of the ball screw to translate within the rotor during the operation of the actuator. In the suspension system, the screw is fixed and the nut is allowed to rotate carrying the hollow core and thus forming the rotor.

[07] Consequently, it is advantageous to create a regenerative suspension system that recovers some of lost energy in the suspension system, and/ or utilize as a reactive suspension system to create passengers’ riding comfort or both scenarios simultaneously.

SUMMARY

[08] The present disclosure aims at providing a vehicle suspension system that enhances or at least maintains the ride comfort of the passengers as well as generating useful electrical energy.

[09] The present disclosure provides means to harvest the energy that is lost in the vehicle’s suspension system in the form of heat or kinetic to generate electricity from road bumps and potholes.

[010] In aspects of the present disclosure, there is provided a semi-active regenerative vehicle suspension system with variable dampening properties through an adjustable dampening coefficient that may be achieved by dampening the kinetic energy in the form of electrical energy.

[011] Aspects of the present disclosure provide a semi-active vehicle regenerative suspension system that includes a main hollow body with a connecting end; a plurality of electrical coils distributed across a substantial part of the perimeter of the main hollow body, each of the electrical coils has two coil metallic collectors; a power screw with magnets installed thereon, the power screw penetrates a ball nut connected to the hollow main body and is able to move in a trans rotational motion within the hollow main body. The system of the present disclosure further includes a combined linear and rotational electrical generator installed within the main hollow body, wherein such electrical generator is in operable connection with the electrical coil collectors. The system of the present disclosure additionally includes a helical spring circumfusing the ball nut and a substantial part of the hollow main body.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[012] The disclosure will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, which illustrate embodiments of the disclosure, without however limiting the scope of protection thereto, and in which:

[013] FIG.1 is a perspective view of a vehicle regenerative suspension system configured in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure.

[014] FIG. 2 illustrates a cross-sectional view of a vehicle regenerative suspension system configured in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure, the cross-section being taken across the line A-A of FIG. 1.

[015] FIG. 3 illustrates a schematic diagram showing the operation of an electrical coil of a vehicle regenerative suspension system in a pickup assembly, wherein the system is configured in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure.

[016] FIG. 4 illustrates a schematic diagram showing magnetic circuit paths of a vehicle regenerative suspension system configured in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[017] FIGS. 1-4 illustrate a vehicle regenerative suspension system configured in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure.

[018] FIG. 4 is a simplified schematic representation of the vehicle regenerative suspension system. The shown invention is enclosed in a standard strut suspension system as an illustration. However, the invention may take different forms of assembly in variety of structures and it is not restricted to the depicted illustration. The regenerative vehicle suspension system 1 should be fitted between two moving bodies or one moving body with mobility to allow the operation of the system. The system 1 may include a hollow body 2 having a substantially cylindrical shape with a connecting end 20 and a flange 21; a plurality of electrical coils 3a-3h distributed across a substantial part of the perimeter of the hollow body 2, each of the electrical coils has two ends in connection with the hollow body 2; a power screw 4 having a polygonal end 40 with a plurality of magnets 41 installed thereon. The system 1 in embodiments of the present disclosure may further include a ball nut mechanism 5 with a lower flange 50, wherein the power screw 4 penetrates the ball nut mechanism 5 and is able to move in a translational-rotational motion through such ball-screw mechanism 5 and through the hollow body 2. The system in embodiments of the present disclosure may further include a spring 6 circumfusing a substantial part of the hollow body 2 and the ball nut mechanism 5, the spring 5 may be secured between a spring shoulder 7 extending radially outwardly from the hollow body 2 in proximity to the flange 21 and a car body assembly piece 8. The vehicle body assembly piece 8 may also be connected to the power screw 4 from its upper end 42 through a thrust bearing 9.

[019] In embodiments of the present disclosure, the flange 20 and the lower flange 50 may be mated with each other and may be connected to each other through any conventional connecting means, such as but not limited to, bolt and nut assembly 500.

[020] In embodiments do the present disclosure, the connecting end 20 of the hollow body 2 may be connected to a vehicle’s wheel (not shown).

[021] In embodiments of the present disclosure, the polygonal end 40 is a square-shaped end.

[022] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the magnets 41 may be permanent magnets, such as but not limited to, Neodymium N52. The vertical displacement between each two consecutive magnets should be similar to the vertical displacement between the two ends of each electrical coil in the plurality of the electrical coils 3a-3h.

[023] In embodiments of the present disclosure, a translational motion of either the connecting end 20 or the vehicle body assembly piece 8 actuates a translational and rotational displacement for the power screw 4 through the ball-nut mechanism 5.

[024] As shown in FIG. 4, each two opposed sides of the polygonal end 40 of the power screw 4 should have a magnet 40 that is oriented in a similar direction, i.e. the south pole is tangent to the vertical sides of the polygonal end and the north pole is tangent to the horizontal sides of the polygonal end 40.

[025] Each end of the plurality of the electrical coils 3a-3h is associated with a metallic collector lOa-lOh (FIG. 2) and is connected to the hollow body 2 through such metallic collectors 10a- lOh. Such configuration allows magnetic circuits paths and intensifies energy pickup. [026] In embodiments of the present disclosure, the thrust bearing assembly facilitates the rotational motion and provides support for the translational motion of the power screw 4.

[027] In the system of the present disclosure, energy regeneration takes place in two modes of operation. The first mode is rotation-based energy generation (i.e. conventional rotational Faraday’s generator) and the second mode is a translation-based energy generation (i.e. linear generator). The total harvested energy from the system is the combined total energies of both generators, which is also complimented with mechanical (i.e. friction in the ball nut screw assembly) and electrical damping effects.

[028] In the rotation-based energy generation, the polygonal end 40 rotate as a result of the compressive and tensile forces that are applied harmonically to the connecting end 20 and the vehicle body assembly connection 8. The rotation of the plurality of magnets 41 in the vicinity of the metallic collectors lOa-lOh will produce an induced back electromagnetic force according to Faraday’s laws. The metallic collectors lOa-lOh and the magnets 41 are positioned in a configuration that makes the magnetic paths complete and enables the magnetic waves to transport through the metallic collectors lOa-lOh and consequently through the magnetic coils 3a-3h (FIGS. 3, 4). The generated voltage is proportional to the speed of rotation power screw 4.

[029] In the translation-based second mode of operation, the polygonal end 40 rotate as a result of the compressive and tensile forces that are applied harmonically to the connecting end 20 and the vehicle body assembly connection 8. Here, the translation of the plurality of magnets 41 in the vicinity of the metallic collectors lOa-lOh will produce an induced back electromagnetic force according to Faraday’s laws. The polygonal end 40 of the power screw 4 acts as a medium to complete the magnetic paths (FIG. 4).

[030] The combined motion of the plurality of magnets 41 produces a combined harvested energy and acts as a combined linear and rotational generator. The generated electricity may be passed through bridge rectifiers to produce useful electrical energy. The coils 3a-3h may be protected by an external cover.

[031] In some embodiments, the system of the present disclosure may be used as a semi-active suspension system, i.e. using it to alter the damping coefficient of a vehicle’s suspension system. In this case, an external controller (not shown) is needed to switch electrical coils 3a- 3h on and off in certain pre-scheduled combinations to alter the damping coefficient (i.e. electrical damping) to regulate the vehicle’s vertical acceleration to create passengers comfort.

[032] The detailed description provided herein is merely exemplary in nature and is not intended to limit the subject matter of the disclosure or its uses. Furthermore, there is no intention to be bound by any expressed or implied theory presented in the preceding technical field, background, brief summary or the detailed description.

[033] The description herein refers to elements or features being “connected” or “coupled” together. As used herein, “connected” may refer to one element/feature being directly joined to (or directly communicating with) another element/feature, and not necessarily mechanically. Likewise, “coupled” may refer to one element/ feature being directly or indirectly joined to (or directly or indirectly communicating with) another element/feature, and not necessarily mechanically. However, it should be understood that, although two elements may be described below, in one embodiment, as being “connected,” in alternative embodiments similar elements may be “coupled,” and vice versa. Thus, although the schematic diagrams shown herein depict example arrangements of elements, additional intervening elements, devices, features, or components may be present in an actual embodiment. It should also be understood that FIGS. 1-4 are merely illustrative and may not be drawn to scale.