This study examines the efficacy of a seat inertial suspension system in relation to vibration isolation and energy recovery in electric commercial vehicles. The research focuses on the structural modifications of the suspension system that arise from the incorporation of an inerter, a novel vibration isolation component. A dynamic model of the seat inertial suspension is constructed, which includes two different structures consisting of components connected in parallel and in series. The analysis explores how the absorption of suspension parameters affects both seat comfort and the characteristics of energy harvesting. Furthermore, an optimal design methodology for the seat inertial suspension is proposed, seat comfort and energy recovery efficiency are also taken into consideration. The findings reveal that the parallel-structured seat inertial suspension system demonstrates superior overall performance. Specifically, it achieves a 36.6% reduction in seat acceleration, a 55.3% decrease in suspension working space, and an energy harvesting efficiency of 41.9%. The seat inertial suspension significantly improves occupant comfort by reducing seat acceleration, significantly reducing the amplitude of seat suspension movement, and recovering most of the seat suspension’s vibration energy, in comparison to traditional seat suspension systems.

In order to improve the working efficiency and the driving comfort level of the drivers in the armored vehicle occupants, this paper puts forward a new type of ISD (Inerter-Spring-Damper) seat suspension structure which is based on the proposed ISD suspension structure of conventional civil vehicles, in which the structure composition and working principle of the inerter suspension are described. In the case of considering the human body structure, a mathematical model of the ISD suspension was established according to the dynamic equation, and the dynamic simulation of the suspension structure was carried out in the Matlab/Simulink environment. The effects of stiffness coefficients, damping coefficients and inerter coefficients on the overall vibration-damping structure under the series and parallel structures are simulated and analyzed, which provides an important basis for the design and development of the seat model of the armored vehicle.