Pneumatic spring with oscillation damper adjusted as a function of the support pressure

• US 6,454,248 B2
• Filed: 03/12/2001
• Issued: 09/24/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/23/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG (Zeppelin - Stiftung der Stadt Friedrichshafen)
• Original Assignee: Mannesmann Sachs AG (Zeppelin - Stiftung der Stadt Friedrichshafen)
• Inventors: Pradel, Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): Lavinder, Jack
• Assistant Examiner(s): Pezzlo, Benjamin A
• Application Number:
  US09/804,215
• Publication Number:
  US 20010024004A1
• Time in Patent Office: 561 Days
• Field of Search: 267/64.24, 267/64.11, 267/64.27, 267/122, 267/124
• US Class Current: 267/64.24
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 17/044 Self-pumping fluid springs pumps for liquids F04
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 17/0485 the springs being pneumatic springs with a flexible wall, e.g. with levelling valves
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2202/152 Pneumatic spring
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2202/314 The spring being a pneumatic spring
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2204/1262 on a damper
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2206/424 Plunger or top retainer construction for bellows or rolling lobe type air springs
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2400/51 in suspension unit
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2400/518 in damper
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2500/204 Pressure regulating valves for air-springs
• CPC Class Codes: F16F 9/05 the flexible wall being of the rolling diaphragm type
• CPC Class Codes: F16F 9/512 Means responsive to load action, i.e. static load on the damper or dynamic fluid pressure changes in the damper, e.g. due to changes in velocity F16F9/504, F16F9/516 take precedence; non-automatic damper adjustment from a distance using servo control, the servo pressure being created by the flow of damping fluid F16F9/465; self-pumping fluid springs in vehicle suspensions B60G17/044

Abstract

Spring strut with a pneumatic spring and an oscillation damper which can be adjusted as a function of the support pressure. The pneumatic spring has a spring space bounded by a U-type bellows, which spring space is pneumatically connected to a damping device which can be adjusted as a function of a support pressure. A component which having a duct connects the spring space and the damping device is embodied without a hose and is integrated in the spring strut in such a way that it does not form any essential surface change in an unrolling piston associated with the U-type bellows and the unrolling piston forms at least a part of this duct.

Claims

1. A spring strut comprising

an oscillation damper having a container and a damping device which can be modified as a function of pressure,

an unrolling piston fitted to the container,

a U-type bellows bounding a spring space, said bellows riding on the unrolling piston and being connected to one of the container and the unrolling piston, and

a duct which pneumatically connect the spring space and the damping device, said duct being configured without a hose and being integrated into the spring strut, said duct having a section which is formed by the unrolling piston.

2. A spring strut as claimed in claim 1 wherein the unrolling piston comprises support ribs which are received against the container, said section of duct being arranged between two of sad support ribs.

3. A spring strut as claimed in claim 1 wherein the unrolling piston comprises an extension which can be connected to the damping device.

4. A beg strut as claimed in claim 3 wherein said extension comprises a connecting part provided with a ton of the duct.

5. A spring strut as claimed in claim 4 wherein the unrolling piston has a connection hole and the connecting part has a connection mouthpiece which accommodates a seal, said connection mouthpiece engaging said connection hole in sad unrolling piston.

6. A spring strut as claimed in claim 5 wherein said mouthpiece comprises spring tongues which are received in the connection hole, each said spring tongue having a protrusion which engages behind the hole in a snap connection.

7. A spring strut as claim din claim 4 wherein the unrolling piston has an outer contour interrupted by a recess which receives the connecting part and the connecting part has an outer surface which conforms to the outer contour of the unrolling piston.

8. A spring strut as claimed in claim 4 wherein the connecting part comprises a connection having a seal which seals the connection to the damping device.

9. A spring strut as claimed in claim 8 wherein the damping device comprises a housing cap having a hole, the connection being configured as a spigot which forms a plug-in connection with the hole in the housing cap.

10. A spring strut as claimed in claim 9 wherein the spigot and the hole in the housing cap have a common centerline which is parallel to a centerline of the spring strut.

11. A spring strut as claimed in claim 9 wherein the spigot and the hole in the housing cap hare a common centerline which is perpendicular to a centerline of the spring strut.

12. A spring strut as claimed in claim 1 wherein said container comprises a protrusion and said unrolling piston comprises a recess which engages said profusion when said unrolling piston is fitted to said container.

13. A spring strut as claimed in claim 12 wherein said damping device comprises a housing which forms said protrusion.

14. A spring strut as claimed in claim 13 further comprising axial fixing means for axially fixing said unrolling piston on said housing, said axial fixing means comprising said housing of said damping device.

15. A spring strut as claimed in claim 14 further comprising a connecting part arranged between the unrolling piston and the damping device, said connecting part being provided with a connection configured as a spigot extending parallel to a centerline of the spring strut, said housing having a housing cap with a hole which is engaged by said spigot in a snap connection, said connecting part having at least one fastening arm which engages the housing cap in a snap connection.

16. A spring strut as claimed in claim 14 wherein said unrolling piston comprises an axial extension having a recess which accommodates said housing, said axial extension extending underneath said housing, said spring strut further comprising a clamp which fixes said axial extension to said container underneath said housing.

17. A spring strut as claimed in claim 14 wherein said unrolling piston has a arms which encompass the housing and are connected together by a lock screw.

18. A spring strut as claimed in claim 4 wherein the damping device comprises a housing fixed to said container, the connecting part having an integral housing cap which is sealed to the housing.

19. A spring strut as claimed in claim 4 wherein the damping device comprises a housing having a housing cap with an annular recess accommodating a seal, said connecting part having a recess which accommodates the housing cap, said recess having an annular groove which also accommodates said seal.

20. A spring strut as claimed in claim 19 wherein the connecting part is seated on by the unrolling push connection.