Comparison of the ride performance of an integrated suspension model

Vehicle suspension is one of the important components to reduce vibration from the road. The vehicle seat suspension acts as another component to provide ride comfort, especially to reduce driver fatigues for long hour’s driving. In this paper, the ride comfort is therefore studied based on the integrated suspension model which includes vehicle chassis suspension, seat suspension and driver model. A four-DOF mathematical model is presented. The hydraulic actuator is introduced as well. Three controllers, including skyhook damper control, slide model control (SMC) and fuzzy logical control (FLC), are applied to the semi-active/active suspension with passive seat suspension. To improve the ride comfort further, combination the best performance of ride comfort from active chassis suspension, the semi-active seat suspension is then designed. The ride performance is evaluated based on driver deformation and acceleration

Can scalable design of wings for flapping wing micro air vehicle be inspired by natural flyers?

Lift production is constantly a great challenge for flapping wing micro air vehicles (MAVs). Designing a workable wing, therefore, plays an essential role. Dimensional analysis is an effective and valuable tool in studying the biomechanics of flyers. In this paper, geometric similarity study is firstly presented. Then, the pw−AR ratio is defined and employed in wing performance estimation before the lumped parameter is induced and utilized in wing design. Comprehensive scaling laws on relation of wing performances for natural flyers are next investigated and developed via statistical analysis before being utilized to examine the wing design. Through geometric similarity study and statistical analysis, the results show that the aspect ratio and lumped parameter are independent on mass, and the lumped parameter is inversely proportional to the aspect ratio. The lumped parameters and aspect ratio of flapping wing MAVs correspond to the range of wing performances of natural flyers. Also, the wing performances of existing flapping wing MAVs are examined and follow the scaling laws. Last, the manufactured wings of the flapping wing MAVs are summarized. Our results will, therefore, provide a simple but powerful guideline for biologists and engineers who study the morphology of natural flyers and design flapping wing MAVs

Study of synchronization for a rotor-pendulum system with Poincare method

A simplified model of the system of unbalanced rotors coupled with pendulum rod is examined. The model consists of two counter-rotating rotors, a rigid pendulum rod and a rigid vibrating body, which is horizontally connected to a fixed support by means of springs. The synchronous state of the system, i.e. synphase and antiphase synchronization of the rotors, is studied by means of the Poincare method. Moreover, the assessment of the synchronous state is converted to find a solution that should satisfy a balanced function and a stability function of the system. However, frequency ratios and installation angular are included in the two functions. It is demonstrated that the spring stiffness and the installation angular have a large influence on the existence and stability of the synchronization state in the coupling system. Finally, computer simulations are preformed to verify the theoretical computations

Experimental studies of tail shapes for hummingbird-like flapping wing micro air vehicles

The stability of flying of a hummingbird-like flapping-wing micro air vehicle (MAV) has been challenging. In this paper, experimental studies are reported on the tail shapes of hummingbird-like flapping-wing MAVs, since tails play an important role in-flight stability. Dynamics parameters of hummingbird tails are firstly studied and evaluated. Then man-made tails inspired by the natural hummingbirds are designed, manufactured and optimized for experimental tests. The results show that lift generated by the tail is independent of a fan angle, whereas the pitch moment is related to the fan angle. Further, the tail can be applied to stabilising hovering twin-wing flapping wing MAVs

1453. Comparison of the ride performance of an integrated suspension model

Vehicle suspension is one of the important components to reduce vibration from the road. The vehicle seat suspension acts as another component to provide ride comfort, especially to reduce driver fatigues for long hour’s driving. In this paper, the ride comfort is therefore studied based on the integrated suspension model which includes vehicle chassis suspension, seat suspension and driver model. A four-DOF mathematical model is presented. The hydraulic actuator is introduced as well. Three controllers, including skyhook damper control, slide model control (SMC) and fuzzy logical control (FLC), are applied to the semi-active/active suspension with passive seat suspension. To improve the ride comfort further, combination the best performance of ride comfort from active chassis suspension, the semi-active seat suspension is then designed. The ride performance is evaluated based on driver deformation and acceleration