Rolling-lobe air spring having a flexible member made of elastomeric material

• US 5,566,929 A
• Filed: 07/05/1995
• Issued: 10/22/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 07/06/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Continental AG
• Original Assignee: Continental AG
• Inventors: Thurow, Gerhard
• Primary Examiner(s): Oberleitner, Robert J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): SCHWARTZ, CHRISTOPHER P
• Application Number:
  US08/498,443
• Time in Patent Office: 475 Days
• Field of Search: 267/35, 267/148, 267/149, 267/64.11, 267/64.24, 267/64.27, 152/526, 152/535, 152/538, 152/361, 152/361
• US Class Current: 267/64.24
• CPC Class Codes: F16F 9/0409 characterised by the wall structure
• CPC Class Codes: F16J 3/041 Non-metallic bellows

Abstract

A rolling-lobe air spring is made of elastomeric material and includes a reinforcement layer made of rubberized textile cord fabric layers. The reinforcement layer extends over the length of the flexible member of the air spring. The cord threads of the textile cord fabric layers are arranged so that they are inclined relative to the peripheral direction of the flexible member. During operation, a rolling lobe is formed which changes during spring operation. The reinforcement layer includes three rubberized cord fabric layers (21, 22, 23) one atop the other. This provides a rolling-lobe air spring having a longer service life at higher internal pressures and smaller roll-off radii in the rolling lobe. The threads of the middle cord fabric layer 22 are arranged so as to cross the threads of the first and third layers. The middle cord fabric layer 22 has a strength which corresponds to the sum of the strengths of the first and third layers.

Claims

1. A rolling-lobe air spring for attachment to first and second attachment parts, the second attachment part including a roll-off piston, the rolling-lobe air spring comprising:

a flexible member defining a longitudinal axis and being made of elastomeric material;

said flexible member having a predetermined length and having first and second longitudinal end portions tightly held by said first and second attachment parts, respectively;

said flexible member having a pregiven longitudinal active portion within which a rolling lobe is formed as said longitudinal active portion rolls back and forth over said roll-off piston during the operation of the air spring;

a composite reinforcement layer extending over all of said predetermined length of said flexible member;

said composite reinforcement layer including first, second and third rubberized cord fabric layers disposed one atop the other;

said first, second and third cord fabric layers likewise extending over all of said predetermined length of said flexible member so that said composite reinforcement layer is also tightly held by said attachment parts;

said first and third cord fabric layers having first and third sets of cord threads inclined with respect to the circumference of said flexible member;

said second cord fabric layer being sandwiched between said first and third cord fabric layers;

said second cord fabric layer having a second set of cord threads also inclined with respect to the circumference of said flexible member and the threads of said second set of cord threads being arranged crosswise with respect to the threads of both said first and third sets of cord threads; and

,

said second cord fabric layer having a strength which corresponds to the sum of the strengths of said first and third cord fabric layers.

2. The rolling-lobe air spring of claim 1, the cord threads of said second set of cord threads having a cross section greater than the cross section of the cord threads of said first and third sets of cord threads.

3. The rolling-lobe air spring of claim 1, the cord threads of said second set of cord threads each having a diameter greater than the diameter of each of the cord threads of said first and third sets of cord threads.

4. The rolling-lobe air spring of claim 1, the number of cord threads in each of said first and third sets of cord threads being less than the number of cord threads in said second set of cord threads.

5. The rolling-lobe air spring of claim 1, wherein said rubberized cord fabric layers are only three in number.

6. The rolling-lobe air spring of claim 1, wherein the number of said rubberized reinforcement cord fabric layers are an odd number of at least three.

7. A rolling-lobe air spring for attachment to first and second attachment parts, the second attachment part including a roll-off piston, the rolling-lobe air spring comprising:

a flexible member defining a longitudinal axis and being made of elastomeric material;

said flexible member having a predetermined length and having first and second longitudinal end portions tightly held by said first and second attachment parts, respectively;

said flexible member having a pregiven longitudinal active portion within which a rolling lobe is formed as said longitudinal active portion rolls back and forth over said roll-off piston during the operation of the air spring;

said flexible member including an inner rubber layer and an outer rubber layer;

a composite reinforcement layer extending over the entire length of said flexible member;

said composite reinforcement layer including first, second and third rubberized cord fabric layers disposed one atop the other and said cord fabric layers being embedded between said inner and outer rubber layers;

said first and third cord fabric layers having first and third sets of cord threads inclined with respect to the circumference of said flexible member;

said second cord fabric layer being sandwiched between said first and third cord fabric layers to define a thin rubber adhering layer between each two mutually adjacent ones of said cord fabric layers;

said cord fabric layers extending over all of said predetermined length of said flexible member so that all three of said cord fabric layers are also tightly held by said attachment parts;

said second cord fabric layer having a second set of cord threads also inclined with respect to the circumference of said flexible member and the threads of said second set of cord threads being arranged crosswise with respect to the threads of both said first and third sets of cord threads; and

,

said second cord fabric layer having a tearing strength which corresponds to the sum of the tearing strengths of said first and third cord fabric layers.

8. The rolling-lobe air spring of claim 7, the cord threads of said second set of cord threads having a cross section greater than the cross section of the cord threads of said first and third sets of cord threads.

9. The rolling-lobe air spring of claim 7, the cord threads of said second set of cord threads each having a diameter greater than the diameter of each of the cord threads of said first and third sets of cord threads.

10. The rolling-lobe air spring of claim 7, the number of cord threads in each of said first and third sets of cord threads being less than the number of cord threads in said second set of cord threads.

11. The rolling-lobe air spring of claim 7, wherein said rubberized cord fabric layers are only three in number.

12. The rolling-lobe air spring of claim 7, wherein the number of said rubberized reinforcement cord fabric layers are an odd number of at least three.