Air spring standing piston bearing
First Claim
1. A apparatus comprising:
- an air spring assembly, including;
a damper body including an outer flange portion;
a piston, a portion of the damper body disposed in the piston, the piston including an outer flange ring, wherein the outer flange ring seats on and contacts the outer flange portion of the damper body; and
a decoupling mechanism connected to the damper body, a portion of the piston surrounding the decoupling mechanism, the decoupling mechanism including an adapter ring attached to the damper body, the adapter ring supporting a seal and a rotatable machine element in a radial space between the adaptor ring and the piston;
wherein the decoupling mechanism allows for rotation of the damper body relative to the piston, preventing torsion from being transferred from the damper body to the piston.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
An air spring assembly for a vehicle having a damper body decoupled from a piston, allowing the damper to rotate freely without inducing torsion into the piston. The air spring assembly includes a damper body, where part of the damper body is disposed in a piston, and a decoupling mechanism connected to the damper body. The decoupling mechanism allows for rotation of the damper body relative to the piston, preventing torsion from being transferred from the damper body to the piston. The decoupling mechanism includes an adapter ring connected to the damper body, and a rotatable machine element surrounding the damper body. The adapter ring is surrounded part of the piston, and the rotatable machine element is adjacent the adapter ring. The inner wall of the piston is in contact with the rotatable machine element, such that the rotatable machine element facilitates relative rotation between the piston and damper body.
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Citations
16 Claims
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1. A apparatus comprising:
an air spring assembly, including; a damper body including an outer flange portion; a piston, a portion of the damper body disposed in the piston, the piston including an outer flange ring, wherein the outer flange ring seats on and contacts the outer flange portion of the damper body; and a decoupling mechanism connected to the damper body, a portion of the piston surrounding the decoupling mechanism, the decoupling mechanism including an adapter ring attached to the damper body, the adapter ring supporting a seal and a rotatable machine element in a radial space between the adaptor ring and the piston; wherein the decoupling mechanism allows for rotation of the damper body relative to the piston, preventing torsion from being transferred from the damper body to the piston. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A decoupling mechanism for an air spring assembly, comprising:
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an adaptor ring including at least one flange portion being part of the decoupling mechanism; a piston having an inner wall and an outer flange ring, the piston being part of the air spring assembly, the decoupling mechanism being disposed in the piston such that the piston circumscribes the adaptor ring and the at least one flange portion, and the at least one flange portion is in contact with the inner wall; a seal supported on the adaptor ring adjacent the at least one flange portion, the seal being part of the decoupling mechanism, the seal being in contact with the inner wall and the adaptor ring to prevent air from leaking out of the piston; and a damper body including an outer flange portion connected to and surrounding the damper body, the damper body being part of the air spring assembly, wherein the outer flange ring of the piston seats on contacts outer flange portion; and a rotatable machine element supported between the adaptor ring and the inner wall of the piston that supports relative rotation between the damper body and the piston; wherein the piston rotates relative to the adaptor ring and the seal as the piston rotates relative to the damper body. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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Specification