Air spring with restraining cylinder

• US 20040026837A1
• Filed: 12/23/2002
• Published: 02/12/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/07/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Firestone Industrial Products
• Original Assignee: David A. Ferrer
• Inventors: Ferrer, David A.
• Granted Patent: US 6,845,973 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 267/64.23
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2206/424 Plunger or top retainer construction for bellows or rolling lobe type air springs
• CPC Class Codes: F16F 9/0454 characterised by the assembling method or by the mounting arrangement, e.g. mounting of the membrane F16F9/0409, F16F9/0445 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16F 9/05 the flexible wall being of the rolling diaphragm type
• CPC Class Codes: F16F 9/38 Covers for protection or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/453 Flexible sleeve-type coupling

Abstract

An air spring has first and second axially spaced end members with a flexible bellows sealingly clamped to the end members and extending therebetween and forming an intervening air chamber. A flexible elastomeric sleeve having at least one convolution resiliently mounts a rigid restraining cylinder to one of the end members. The cylinder extends co-axially along and outside of the bellows. The flexible sleeve is bonded or snap-fitted to the cylinder.

Claims

1. An air spring comprising:

a pair of spaced end members;

a flexible bellows sealingly attached to the end members and extending therebetween and forming an interior fluid chamber;

a rigid restraining cylinder attached at one end to one of said end members and extending co-axially with and outwardly of the flexible bellows; and

a flexible mounting assembly attaching the restraining cylinder to said one end member, said mounting assembly including an elastomeric sleeve having at least one convolution located between first and second ends of the sleeve, with said first end being secured to said one end member and said second end being secured to said restraining cylinder.

2. The air spring defined in claim 1 wherein a first clamp ring secures the first end of the flexible sleeve to the said one end member.

3. The air spring defined in claim 2 wherein a second clamp ring secures a first end of the bellows to the said one end member.

4. The air spring defined in claim 3 wherein the first and second clamp rings are spaced axially apart on said one end member.

5. The air spring defined in claim 4 wherein the first clamp ring is spaced radially outwardly from the second clamp ring.

6. The air spring defined in claim 1 wherein the restraining cylinder is formed of metal;

and in which the elastomeric sleeve is bonded to said cylinder.

7. The air spring defined in claim 1 wherein the restraining cylinder is formed of metal;

in which a plurality of holes are formed in the cylinder adjacent said one end thereof;

in which the second end of the sleeve is formed with metal spring clips bonded thereto; and

in which the spring clips are snap-fitted into the cylinder holes to secure the cylinder to the sleeve.

8. The air spring defined in claim 1 wherein the restraining cylinder is formed of metal;

in which a plurality of holes are formed in the cylinder adjacent said one end of the cylinder;

in which the sleeve is formed with radially extending projections adjacent the second end of the sleeve; and

in which said projections are received within the cylinder holes to secure the cylinder to the sleeve.

9. The air spring defined in claim 1 wherein the second end of the sleeve is formed with a circumferential groove;

and in which the said one end of the cylinder extends into the groove and is secured therein.

10. The air spring defined in claim 9 wherein the said one end of the cylinder is bonded within the groove of the flexible sleeve to secure the cylinder to the sleeve.

11. The air spring defined in claim 1 wherein the restraining cylinder is formed of aluminum.

12. The air spring defined in claim 1 wherein the restraining cylinder is formed of stamped steel.

13. The air spring defined in claim 1 wherein the said one end member is an end plate;

and in which the other of said end members is a piston.

14. The air spring defined in claim 13 wherein a fluid damper is connected to and is co-axial with the air spring piston and with the bellows.

15. The air spring defined in claim 1 wherein the convolution is generally V-shaped and extends in a radially outwardly direction.

16. A vehicle suspension system comprising:

an air spring including a pair of spaced end members, each mounted on a respective one of the vehicle components;

a flexible bellows sealingly attached to the end members and extending therebetween and forming an interior fluid chamber;

a rigid restraining cylinder attached at one end to one of said end members and extending co-axially with and outwardly of the flexible bellows; and

a flexible mounting assembly attaching the restraining cylinder to said one end member, said mounting assembly including an elastomeric sleeve having at least one convolution located between first and second ends of the sleeve, with said first end being secured to said one end member and said second end being secured to said restraining cylinder.

17. The air spring defined in claim 16 wherein the restraining cylinder is formed of metal;

in which a plurality of holes are formed in the cylinder adjacent said one end thereof;

in which the second end of the sleeve is formed with metal spring clips bonded thereto; and

in which the spring clips are snap-fitted into the cylinder holes to secure the cylinder to the sleeve.

18. The air spring defined in claim 16 wherein the restraining cylinder is formed of metal;

in which a plurality of holes are formed in the cylinder adjacent said one end of the cylinder;

in which the sleeve is formed with radially extending projections adjacent the second end of the sleeve; and

in which said projections are received within the cylinder holes to secure the cylinder to the sleeve.

19. The air spring defined in claim 16 wherein the second end of the sleeve is formed with a circumferential groove;

and in which the said one end of the cylinder extends into the groove and is secured therein.

20. The air spring defined in claim 16 wherein the convolution is generally V-shaped and extends in a radially outwardly direction.