Air spring for vehicle closure

• US 8,246,019 B2
• Filed: 06/21/2007
• Issued: 08/21/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/21/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: Krajenke, Gary W.
• Primary Examiner(s): King, Bradley
• Assistant Examiner(s): IRVIN, THOMAS W
• Application Number:
  US11/766,126
• Publication Number:
  US 20080315475A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,888 Days
• Field of Search: 267/64.11, 267/64.27, 267/292, 267/120, 267/124, 267/64.26, 267/64.15, 267/64.23, 267/196, 267/134, 188/270, 188/281, 188/297, 188/322.17, 180/69.2, 180/69.21, 296/193.11
• US Class Current: 267/64.23
• CPC Class Codes: E05C 17/30 of extensible, e.g. telescopic, construction flexible members E05C17/36 ; locking of telescopic systems in general F16B7/10; lockable telescopic gas springs F16F9/0254
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 1/1292 with a gas spring
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/546 Tailgates
• CPC Class Codes: F16F 9/0254 mechanically lockable, e.g. by use of friction collar mechanical locking of extensible devices for holding wings E05C17/30

Abstract

An air spring for use with a closure of a vehicle is disclosed. The air spring includes a rod and a tube axially slidable in the rod. The rod may include a housing having tube slots defining flexible arms with rod cam extensions extending therefrom. The rod cam extensions may have an extension rod cam surface that has a smaller angle than a retraction rod cam surface, with a rod peak between the two. The tube may include a tube cam extension having a tube peak with a diameter greater than the diameter of the rod peak. The tube cam extension may include an extension tube cam surface that has a smaller angle than a retraction tube cam surface.

Claims

1. An air spring for supporting a vehicle closure on a vehicle, the air spring comprising:

a rod including a hollow housing centered about a longitudinal axis, having an inner rod diameter, and having a first end and an opposed second end, the housing including at least one tube slot extending axially from the second end toward the first end and defining at least one flexible arm, at least one rod cam extension extends from the second end and includes a radially inwardly extending rod peak defining a rod peak diameter that is less than the inner rod diameter; and

a tube having an outer tube diameter centered about the longitudinal axis, a first end and an opposed second end slidably received in the housing, and a tube cam extension extending from the second end of the tube, the tube cam extension having an extension tube cam surface extending at a first angle relative to the longitudinal axis, a retraction tube cam surface adjacent to and located farther from the first end of the tube than the extension tube cam surface and extending at a second angle relative to the longitudinal axis, the second angle being larger than the first angle, and a tube peak located between the extension tube cam surface and the retraction tube cam surface, the tube peak having a tube peak diameter that is less than the inner rod diameter and greater than the rod peak diameter.

2. The air spring of claim 1 wherein the at least one rod cam extension includes an extension rod cam surface extending at a third angle relative to the longitudinal axis, a retraction rod cam surface adjacent to and located farther from the first end of the housing than the extension rod cam surface and extending at a fourth angle relative to the longitudinal axis, the fourth angle being larger than the third angle, the rod peak being located between the extension rod cam surface and the retraction rod cam surface.

3. The air spring of claim 2 wherein the rod includes an elastomeric boot extending around an outer surface of the housing and covering the at least one tube slot.

4. The air spring of claim 1 wherein the rod includes an elastomeric boot extending around an outer surface of the housing and covering the at least one tube slot.

5. The air spring of claim 1 wherein the at least one tube slot is six tube slots, the at least one flexible arm is six flexible arms, and the at least one rod cam extension is six rod cam extensions, one each mounted on a respective one of the six flexible arms.

6. The air spring of claim 1 wherein the rod includes a rod end fitting extending from the first end of the rod and pivotally mountable to one of a vehicle structure and the vehicle closure.

7. The air spring of claim 1 wherein the tube includes a tube end fitting extending from the first end of the tube and pivotally mountable to one of a vehicle structure and the vehicle closure.

8. An air spring for supporting a vehicle closure on a vehicle, the air spring comprising:

a rod including a hollow housing centered about a longitudinal axis, having an inner rod diameter, and having a first end and an opposed second end, the housing including at least one tube slot extending axially from the second end toward the first end and defining at least one flexible arm, at least one rod cam extension extends from the second end and includes a radially inwardly extending rod peak defining a rod peak diameter, the at least one rod cam extension including an extension rod cam surface extending at a first angle relative to the longitudinal axis, a retraction rod cam surface adjacent to and located farther from the first end of the housing than the extension rod cam surface and extending at a second angle relative to the longitudinal axis, the second angle being larger than the first angle, the rod peak being located between the extension rod cam surface and the retraction rod cam surface; and

a tube having an outer tube diameter centered about the longitudinal axis, a first end and an opposed second end slidably received in the housing, and a tube cam extension extending from the second end of the tube, the tube cam extension including a tube peak having a tube peak diameter that is less than the inner rod diameter and greater than the rod peak diameter.

9. The air spring of claim 8 wherein the rod includes an elastomeric boot extending around an outer surface of the housing and covering the at least one tube slot.

10. The air spring of claim 9 wherein the elastomeric boot also extends around at least a portion of the at least one rod cam extension.

11. The air spring of claim 8 wherein the at least one tube slot is six tube slots, the at least one flexible arm is six flexible arms, and the at least one rod cam extension is six rod cam extensions, one each mounted on a respective one of the six flexible arms.

12. The air spring of claim 8 wherein the rod includes a rod end fitting extending from the first end of the rod and pivotally mountable to one of a vehicle structure and the vehicle closure.

13. The air spring of claim 8 wherein the tube includes a tube end fitting extending from the first end of the tube and pivotally mountable to one of a vehicle structure and the vehicle closure.

14. A vehicle comprising:

a vehicle structure defining a vehicle opening;

a closure pivotally connected to the vehicle structure for selectively covering the vehicle opening; and

an air spring pivotally mounted to the vehicle structure and pivotally mounted to the closure and including a rod and a tube;

the rod including a hollow housing centered about a longitudinal axis, having an inner rod diameter, and having a first end and an opposed second end, the housing including at least two, spaced tube slots extending axially from the second end toward the first end and defining at least two flexible arms, at least two rod cam extensions extending from the second end and including radially inwardly extending rod peaks defining a rod peak diameter that is less than the inner rod diameter; and

the tube having an outer tube diameter centered about the longitudinal axis, a first end and an opposed second end slidably received in the housing, and a tube cam extension extending from the second end of the tube, the tube cam extension including a tube peak having a tube peak diameter that is less than the inner rod diameter and greater than the rod peak diameter.

15. The vehicle of claim 14 wherein the tube cam extension has an extension tube cam surface extending at a first angle relative to the longitudinal axis, and a retraction tube cam surface adjacent to and located farther from the first end of the tube than the extension tube cam surface and extending at a second angle relative to the longitudinal axis, the second angle being larger than the first angle, the tube peak being located between the extension tube cam surface and the retraction tube cam surface.

16. The vehicle of claim 15 wherein the at least two rod cam extensions each include an extension rod cam surface extending at a third angle relative to the longitudinal axis, a retraction rod cam surface adjacent to and located farther from the first end of the housing than the extension rod cam surface and extending at a fourth angle relative to the longitudinal axis, the fourth angle being larger than the third angle, the rod peak being located between the extension rod cam surface and the retraction rod cam surface on each of the at least two rod cam extensions.

17. The vehicle of claim 14 wherein the at least two rod cam extensions each include an extension rod cam surface extending at a first angle relative to the longitudinal axis, a retraction rod cam surface adjacent to and located farther from the first end of the housing than the extension rod cam surface and extending at a second angle relative to the longitudinal axis, the second angle being larger than the first angle, the rod peak being located between the extension rod cam surface and the retraction rod cam surface on each of the at least two rod cam extensions.

18. The vehicle of claim 14 wherein the rod includes an elastomeric boot extending around an outer surface of the housing and covering the at least two tube slots.

19. The vehicle of claim 14 including a second air spring, spaced from the air spring, and pivotally mounted to the vehicle structure and pivotally mounted to the closure.

20. The vehicle of claim 14 wherein the closure is a rear lift gate.