Air check valve for an air spring

• US 5,669,418 A
• Filed: 07/25/1996
• Issued: 09/23/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 07/29/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Continental AG
• Original Assignee: Continental AG
• Inventors: Wode, Stefan
• Primary Examiner(s): Ferensic, Denise L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Farid, Ramyar M.
• Application Number:
  US08/685,828
• Time in Patent Office: 425 Days
• Field of Search: 137/859, 267/64.11, 267/64.28
• US Class Current: 137/859
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 17/0528 Pressure regulating or air filling valves
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 15/144 the closure elements being fixed along all or a part of their periphery

Abstract

The invention is directed to a check valve for an air spring which has a supply line through which air is supplied. Even after the supply line is disconnected, the pressure in the air spring should not drop below a certain minimum pressure. When refilling and during storage, a defined position of the flexible member should be provided. The air check valve 4 includes a valve body 8, a valve housing 6 and an elastic valve plate 10. The valve body 8 functions as a base plate and has a concentric ring-shaped sealing edge 24 to impart bending stress to the elastic valve plate 10. The valve body has a bore 30 disposed outside of the ring edge 24. The valve housing 6 has a ring-shaped depression 32 corresponding to the ring edge 24. The valve plate 10 has a center bore 22 which communicates with an air connection 28 via a channel 26 disposed in the valve housing. The peripheral portion of the elastic valve plate 10 is clamped between profiles (18, 20) of the valve body 8 and the valve housing 6. The air check valve can be used in all types of vehicle air springs.

Claims

1. An air check valve for an air spring of a vehicle, the air check valve comprising:

a valve housing having a first surface;

a valve body having a second surface;

said valve body being mounted in said valve housing so as to cause said first and second surfaces to conjointly define a valve chamber and an interface extending peripherally around said chamber;

an elastic valve plate having a mid portion and a peripheral portion and being clamped at said peripheral portion between said valve housing and valve body at said interface thereby placing said mid portion in said chamber;

profile means formed at said interface for more securely holding said elastic valve plate between said valve housing and said valve body;

said valve body having a concentric ring edge formed on said second surface within said chamber to partition said second surface into an inner surface region within said concentric ring and an outer surface region outside of said concentric ring;

said elastic valve plate having a central bore communicating with a first compartment formed between said mid portion of said elastic plate and said inner surface region;

said valve body having a passage formed therein at said outer surface region so as to connect the interior of the air spring to a second compartment formed between said mid portion of said elastic plate and said outer surface region;

said valve housing having an air connection for receiving pressurized air and having a channel formed therein for conducting the pressurized air from said air connection into said chamber and through said central bore into said first compartment; and

,

said elastic plate being movable between a first position wherein said mid portion is in contact engagement with said ring edge and a second position wherein said mid portion is in spaced relationship to said ring edge thereby permitting pressurized air passing through said control bore to pass from said first compartment to said second compartment and through said passage into the interior of the air spring.

2. The air check valve of claim 1, said valve housing having a depression formed in said first surface corresponding to said ring edge.

3. The air check valve of claim 1, said elastic valve plate being pretensioned in radial direction.

4. The air check valve of claim 1, said elastic valve plate being punched out of an elastomer.

5. The air check valve of claim 1, said ring edge being adjustable in elevation.

6. The air check valve of claim 1, said mid portion of said elastic valve plate being at an elevation different than said peripheral portion thereof.

7. The air check valve of claim 1, further comprising a compression spring mounted in said valve housing so as to extend beyond said first surface and press said elastic valve plate against said ring edge.