The method for determining the rational parameters of the kinematics of the suspension systems for high-speed tracked vehicles

The requirements for the suspension systems of modern high-speed tracked vehicles impose many limitations, forcing the designer to find unconventional structural and layout solutions. The trend of increasing the power-to-weight ratio of modern and advanced tracked vehicles, in turn, leads to an increase in the thermal load on the dampers, which results in the need to use a forced cooling system, which, together with the requirements for compactness of the chassis units, further reduces the available space for the suspension components. This makes it necessary to find such design parameters of the kinematics of the suspension system, which would ensure that all the requirements are met, taking into account the existing dimensional constraints. The method of choosing such design parameters is presented in this article. This method allows, using the geometric dimensions determining the mutual position of the chassis units on the machine, to find a rational arrangement of the space in the body of the high-speed caterpillar machine elements of the suspension system. This makes it possible to parametrize the kinematics of the suspension assembly for typical structural schemes for securing the pneumatic hydraulic springs (PHS) on the body of the machine, that means it makes it possible to analytically determine the rational distribution of the PHS to provide the most favorable power and kinematic transfer ratio at the design stage. The dependencies given in the article make it possible to assess the feasibility of implementing a particular kinematics, and also give an idea of the conditions that determine the most rational kinematic and power ratio to ensure the minimum dimensions of the PHS and the favorable form of the characteristic of the elastic element.

high-speed tracked vehicles, tracked vehicles, suspension, suspension system, kinematics, pneumatic hydraulic springs