Spring and damper unit with external storage device

• US 6,220,408 B1
• Filed: 12/11/1998
• Issued: 04/24/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 12/11/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Mannesmann Sachs AG (Zeppelin - Stiftung der Stadt Friedrichshafen)
• Original Assignee: Mannesmann Sachs AG (Zeppelin - Stiftung der Stadt Friedrichshafen)
• Inventors: Pradel, Robert, Handke, Günther
• Primary Examiner(s): Oberleitner, Robert J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): KING, BRADLEY T
• Application Number:
  US09/210,173
• Time in Patent Office: 865 Days
• Field of Search: 188/314, 188/297, 188/298, 188/321.11, 188/322.19, 188/322.2, 280/124.146, 280/124.147, 280/124.154, 280/124.155
• US Class Current: 188/314
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 15/06 and fluid damper
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 15/063 characterised by the mounting of the spring on the damper B60G15/065, B60G15/066 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16F 9/096 comprising a hydropneumatic accumulator of the membrane type provided on the upper or the lower end of a damper or separately from or laterally on the damper F16F9/088 takes precedence

Abstract

The invention relates to a spring-and-damper unit with an external storage device for installation between a vehicle body and a wheel guidance part. To create the greatest possible supporting length for the piston rod in a given installation space, the storage device is preferably connected to a spring plate, on which rests a carrying spring embodied as a coil spring, while the spring plate is arranged in a pressure-tight fashion on the cylinder or a container surrounding the cylinder. The interior of the cylinder or the container is hydraulically connected to the storage device via a connecting channel in the spring plate.

Claims

1. A spring-and-damper unit for installation between a body and a wheel guide part of a motor vehicle, comprising:

a vibration damper having a first end and a second end including a cylinder having a longitudinal axis and first and second ends corresponding respectively to said first and second ends of said vibration damper and filled with a damping fluid, and a piston rod sealingly projecting through said first end of said cylinder with a piston that sealingly runs within said cylinder and divides said cylinder into a first working space near said piston rod and a second working space remote from said piston rod;

said vibration damper further comprising a storage device having a longitudinal axis, said storage device being operatively arranged externally from said cylinder and hydraulically connected to said second working space of said cylinder for providing a compensation space for a volume of said piston rod moving into and out of said cylinder, said compensation space comprising a fluid space and gas space;

a spring plate fixedly mounted on said vibration damper; and

a mechanical spring having an end supportably engaged in said spring plate, said storage device being fixedly mounted on said spring plate and hydraulically connected to said second working space via a connecting channel through said spring plate.

2. The spring-and-damper unit of claim 1, wherein said spring plate forms a structural and assembly unit with said storage device and said vibration damper being arrangable in the motor vehicle such that said storage device faces away from a wheel of the motor vehicle.

3. The spring-and-damper device of claim 1, wherein said storage device comprises an interior space of said spring plate.

4. The spring-and-damper device of claim 1, wherein said longitudinal axis of said storage device is one of parallel and inclined relative to said longitudinal axis of said cylinder.

5. The spring-and-damper device of claim 4, wherein said storage device is arranged at a radial distance from said vibration damper.

6. The spring-and-damper device of claim 1, wherein said storage device comprises a bottom with a fastening journal and said vibration damper comprises a connecting part connected to said fastening journal.

7. The spring-and-damper device of claim 1, wherein said storage device comprises a one-piece storage device wall and a bottom, and a separating piston for separating said fluid space from said gas space.

8. The spring-and-damper device of claim 1, wherein said storage device comprises a first piece including a storage device wall portion and a connecting cover portion, a separating piston for separating said fluid space from said gas space and a bottom piece sealingly connected to said storage device wall.

9. The spring-and-damper device of claim 1, wherein said storage device comprises a bottom valve secured in said fluid space.

10. The spring-and-damper device of claim 1, wherein said storage device comprises a storage device wall with a connecting cover and a bottom valve secured in said connecting cover forming a structural unit with said connecting cover that is testable separately from said storage device.

11. The spring-and-damper device of claim 1, wherein said longitudinal axis of said storage device is inclined relative to said longitudinal axis of said cylinder and said storage device is arranged such that a longitudinal length of said storage device passes a drive shaft of a wheel of the vehicle at a distance.

12. A spring-and-damper unit for installation between a body and a wheel guide part of a motor vehicle, comprising:

a vibration damper having a first end and a second end including a cylinder having a longitudinal axis and first and second ends corresponding respectively to said first and second ends of said vibration damper and filled with a damping fluid, and a piston rod sealingly projecting through said first end of said cylinder with a piston that sealingly runs within said cylinder and divides said cylinder into a first working space near said piston rod and a second working space remote from said piston rod;

said vibration damper further comprising a storage device having a longitudinal axis, said storage device being operatively arranged externally from said cylinder and hydraulically connected to said second working space of said cylinder for providing a compensation space for a volume of said piston rod moving into and out of said cylinder, said compensation space comprising a fluid space and gas space;

a spring plate fixedly mounted on said vibration damper; and

a spring having an end supportably engaged in said spring plate,

said storage device being fixedly mounted on said spring plate and hydraulically connected to said second working space via a connecting channel through said spring plate, wherein said vibration damper further comprises a steering lever connected with said spring plate such that said spring plate, said storage device, and said steering lever form a structural and assembly unit of said spring-and-damper device.

13. A spring-and-damper unit for installation between a body and a wheel guide part of a motor vehicle, comprising:

a vibration damper having a first end and a second end including a cylinder having a longitudinal axis and first and second ends corresponding respectively to said first and second ends of said vibration damper and filled with a damping fluid, and a piston rod sealingly projecting through said first end of said cylinder with a piston that sealingly runs within said cylinder and divides said cylinder into a first working space near said piston rod and a second working space remote from said piston rod;

said vibration damper further comprising a storage device having a longitudinal axis, said storage device being operatively arranged externally from said cylinder and hydraulically connected to said second working space of said cylinder for providing a compensation space for a volume of said piston rod moving into and out of said cylinder, said compensation space comprising a fluid space and gas space;

a spring plate fixedly mounted on said vibration damper; and

a spring having an end supportably engaged in said spring plate,

said storage device being fixedly mounted on one of said spring plate and said second end of said vibration damper, wherein said longitudinal axis of said storage device is substantially perpendicular to said longitudinal axis of said cylinder, said vibration damper comprises a steering lever, and said steering lever is connected to a bottom of said storage device.