Abstract
In this paper, a novel electromechanical active suspension for cars, the parallel active link suspension (PALS) is proposed and then experimentally studied. PALS involves the introduction of a rotary-actuator-driven rocker–pushrod mechanism in parallel with the conventional passive suspension assembly, to exert an additional controlled force between the chassis and the wheel. The PALS geometric arrangement is designed and optimized to maximize the rocker torque propagation onto the tire load increment. A quarter-car test rig with double wishbone suspension is utilized for the PALS physical implementation. Based on a linear equivalent model of the PALS quarter car, a conservative and an aggressive robust $H_{\infty }$ control schemes are synthesized separately to improve the ride comfort and the road holding, with different levels of control effort allowed in each of the control schemes. Simulations with a theoretical nonlinear model of the PALS quarter car are performed to evaluate the potential in suspension performance enhancement and power demand in the rocker actuator. Experiments with a harmonic road, a smoothed bump and hole, and swept frequency are conducted with the quarter-car test rig to validate the practical feasibility of the novel PALS, the ride comfort enhancement, and the accuracy of the theoretical model and of a further nonlinear model in which practical features existing in the test rig are identified and included.
Highlights
A CTIVE suspensions are widely studied due to their notable performance enhancement in terms of ride comfort and Manuscript received November 23, 2017; revised May 29, 2018; accepted August 7, 2018
This motivates the introduction of the novel parallel active link suspension (PALS) to complement the range of vehicle categories that can benefit from a rotary-electromechanical-actuation-based active suspension
In high-frequency applications, the PALS further enhances iii) the ride comfort by minimizing the chassis heave, roll, and pitch acceleration at human-sensitive frequencies and iv) the road holding by reducing the variation of the vertical tire force
Summary
A CTIVE suspensions are widely studied due to their notable performance enhancement in terms of ride comfort and Manuscript received November 23, 2017; revised May 29, 2018; accepted August 7, 2018. As the active components, the single link together with its actuation, are in series with the spring-damper unit and support the large sprung mass above, a “parallel” suspension is expected to be more suitable for heavier vehicles. This motivates the introduction of the novel parallel active link suspension (PALS) to complement the range of vehicle categories that can benefit from a rotary-electromechanical-actuation-based active suspension. The PALS is proposed and studied in this paper Overall, it aims to enhance the suspension performance (e.g., ride comfort, road holding, and chassis leveling) with less power consumption and less weight increment than other parallel active suspensions.
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