Pneumatic suspension system

• US 5,678,810 A
• Filed: 10/30/1995
• Issued: 10/21/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: BWI Company Limited SA (Shougang Corporation)
• Original Assignee: General Motors Corporation (Motors Liquidation Co. GUC Trust)
• Inventors: Robinson, Frank, Hagwood, Stephen Carey, Kruckemeyer, William Charles, Summers, Herbert Stanley III, Shores, Jay Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Poon, Peter M.
• Application Number:
  US08/550,137
• Time in Patent Office: 722 Days
• Field of Search: 267/220, 267/64.21, 267/64.23, 267/64.27, 267/64.28, 267/64.24, 280/668, 280/671, 280/672, 280/673
• US Class Current: 267/220
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 17/0521 the spring having a flexible wall
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2202/312 The spring being a wound spring
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2204/128 Damper mount on vehicle body or chassis
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2204/418 Bearings, e.g. ball or roller bearings
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2204/4502 using resilient buffer
• 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

Abstract

A pneumatic suspension system including an air spring in combination with a damper provides a way of mounting to a vehicle with a dual path mount. The air spring includes a canister in combination with a flexible element defining a variable pressure chamber. A mounting plate is captured about the canister by a nut. The nut has an air passageway for inflating and relieving the air spring and for providing a selectively open communicative path between the air spring and a remote volume that extends through the mount.

Claims

1. A pneumatic suspension system comprising:

a mounting plate having an opening;

a canister with a cylindrical portion that extends through the opening of the mounting plate and has a threaded exterior;

the canister having a body section connected to the cylindrical portion; and

a nut threaded on the cylindrical portion capturing the mounting plate on the canister between the nut and the body section wherein the canister has a crowned end including a series of notches wherein the crowned end is disposed within the nut.

2. A pneumatic suspension system according to claim 1 wherein the nut includes a closed end and an air opening wherein the air opening registers with at least one of the notches.

3. A pneumatic suspension system comprising:

a canister having an annular leg and an annular shoulder with a cylindrical portion extending therefrom that includes a crowned end with an alternating series of notches and tabs;

a flexible member fixed to the annular leg of the canister, the flexible member and the canister cooperating in defining a pressure chamber;

a cap nut having a closed end and an air opening threadedly received on the crowned end such that the air opening registers with at least one of the notches on the canister;

a mounting plate captured between the canister and the cap nut;

a bearing assembly disposed between the mounting plate and the annular shoulder of the canister;

a preload washer carried within the cap nut adjacent the closed end;

a mount retainer having an annular stepped construction carried by the canister; and

a damper mount compressed between the preload washer and the mount retainer.