Abstract
This research introduces an air spring vibration isolator system (ASVIS) based on a negative-stiffness structure (NSS) to improve the vehicle seat’s vibration isolation performance at low excitation frequencies. The main feature of the ASVIS consists of two symmetric bellows-type air springs which were designed on the basis of a negative stiffness mechanism. In addition, a crisscross structure with two straight bars was also used as the supporting legs to provide the nonlinear characteristics with NSS. Moreover, instead of using a vertical mechanical spring, a sleeve-type air spring was employed to provide positive stiffness. As a result, as the weight of the driver varies, the dynamic stiffness of the ASVIS can be easily adjusted and controlled. Next, the effects of the dimension parameters on the nonlinear force and nonlinear stiffness of ASVIS were analyzed. A design process for the ASVIS is provided based on the analytical results in order to achieve high static–low dynamic stiffness. Finally, numerical simulations were performed to evaluate the effectiveness of the ASVIS. The results obtained in this paper show that the values of the seat displacement of the ASVIS with NSS were reduced by 77.16% in comparison with those obtained with the traditional air spring isolator without NSS, which indicates that the design of the ASVIS isolator with NSS allows the effective isolation of vibrations in the low-frequency region.
Highlights
IntroductionPublisher’s Note: MDPI stays neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations
In order to confirm the vibration isolation ability of the proposed isolator, we compared it with the classical vibration isolator without negativestiffness structure (NSS)
This paper introduces the air spring vibration isolator system (ASVIS) with a negative-stiffness structure, which was de
Summary
Publisher’s Note: MDPI stays neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations. Whole-body vibration is associated with vehicle movement, which can affect the comfort, performance, and health of the driver [1,2]. The human body responds strongly to vertical whole-body vibration at frequencies ranging from 0.5 to 5 Hz, which are below 2 Hz in horizontal axes [3,4]. In order to increase the driver’s comfort, safety, and health by reducing weariness caused by extended hours of driving or exposure to adverse road conditions, a low-frequency vibration isolator is developed by combining a positive stiffness element with a negative stiffness element
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
