Based on the dynamics theory and the negative stiffness structure (NSS), the
optimal design of the driver’s seat suspension system of the cab or vehicle
equipped with the NSS is proposed to enhance the driver’s ride comfort and
health. To design the seat suspension system using the NSS, the dynamic models
of the seat suspension system and the NSS are established to calculate the
vibration equations. The influence of the geometrical and dynamic parameters of
the NSS and the different operating conditions of the vehicle on the driver’s
ride comfort are analyzed, respectively. Three indexes of the reduction of the
root-mean-square displacement (xRMSs
), the weighted root-mean-square acceleration (aRMSs
) of the driver’s seat, and the seat effective amplitude
transmissibility (SEAT) of the seat suspension system are selected to evaluate
the NSS efficiency. The results indicate that the change of the geometrical
parameters and stiffness values of the NSS significantly affect the driver’s
ride comfort, especially the change of stiffness values. The seat suspension
system equipped with the NSS has an obvious efficiency in improving the driver’s
ride comfort and health under the different operating conditions including the
various vibration sources of the road surface, the various moving speeds of the
vehicle, and the different loads of the driver and seat. Particularly, the
values of the aRMSs
and SEAT are remarkably reduced by 60.57% and 60.58% whereas the
maximum power-spectral-density (PSD) acceleration of the driver’s seat is also
strongly decreased by 86.77% compared to without the NSS under the moving
condition of the vehicle on the rough road.
Accordingly, the application of the NSS on the seat suspension system of vehicles
can remarkably improve the driver’s ride comfort under all the various operating
conditions.
