Systems and methods of manufacturing flexible spring members for gas spring assemblies

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10358315-B2
Application number	US-201715476002-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 31, 2017
Priority date	Apr 1, 2016
Publication date	Jul 23, 2019
Grant date	Jul 23, 2019

Abstract

Systems include a creel assembly supporting a plurality of spools containing at least one cord having an indeterminate length such that a plurality of cords are supported on the creel assembly. A tensioner assembly operative to tension approximately equal predetermined lengths of the plurality of cords received from the creel assembly. A building mandrel supported for rotation and translation. A head assembly supported in fixed relation to the building mandrel. The head assembly is positioned co-axially such that the building mandrel can pass through an opening in the head assembly during translation. Methods of manufacture are included, as are flexible spring members and gas spring assemblies.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A system for manufacturing a flexible spring member dimensioned for forming an associated gas spring assembly, said system comprising:
a creel assembly supporting a plurality of spools containing at least one cord having an indeterminate length such that a plurality of cords is supported on said creel assembly, said creel assembly including a brake system operatively engaging at least one of said plurality of spools to generate rotational drag thereon, said brake system including a ferrous metal plate supported in a fixed position on said creel assembly adjacent said at least one of said plurality of spools and a magnetic brake element operatively engaged with said at least one of said plurality of spools, said magnetic brake element magnetically coupled with said ferrous metal plate such that rotation of said at least one of said plurality of spools generates frictional drag between said magnetic brake element and said ferrous metal plate;
a tensioner assembly spaced apart from said creel assembly and operative to tension approximately equal predetermined length of said plurality of cords received from said creel assembly;
a building mandrel disposed in spaced relation to said tensioner assembly, said building mandrel supported for rotation about a longitudinal axis and translation along said longitudinal axis; and,
a head assembly including an opening extending therethrough and positioned co-axially relative to said building mandrel such that said building mandrel passes through said opening in said head assembly during translation along said longitudinal axis, said head assembly operative to position and redirect said plurality of cords onto said building mandrel during translation and rotation thereof relative to said head assembly.

2. A system according to claim 1 , wherein said creel assembly is one of a plurality of creel assemblies each supporting a plurality of spools containing at least one cord having an indeterminate length.

3. A system according to claim 1 , wherein said at least one of said plurality of spools has an axis of rotation and includes a spool engagement feature, and said magnetic brake element includes an element engagement feature dimensioned to removably engage said spool engagement feature such that said at least one of said plurality of spools is removably retained on said creel assembly.

4. A system according to claim 1 , wherein said magnetic brake element includes polymeric disk element and a plurality of magnets at least partially received within said polymeric disk element.

5. A system according to claim 1 , wherein said tensioner assembly includes an entrance wrap bar, an exit wrap bar and at least one dancer roll tensioning said plurality of cords between said entrance wrap bar and said exit wrap bar.

6. A system according to claim 1 , wherein said head assembly includes a first head ring assembly and a second head ring assembly supported in axially spaced relation to one another such that a cord head throat is formed therebetween.

7. A system for manufacturing a flexible spring member dimensioned for forming an associated gas spring assembly, said system comprising:
a creel assembly supporting a plurality of spools containing at least one cord having an indeterminate length such that a plurality of cords is supported on said creel assembly;
a tensioner assembly spaced apart from said creel assembly and operative to tension approximately equal predetermined length of said plurality of cords received from said creel assembly, said tensioner assembly including an entrance wrap bar, an exit wrap bar and at least one dancer roll tensioning said plurality of cords between said entrance wrap bar and said exit wrap bar;
a building mandrel disposed in spaced relation to said tensioner assembly, said building mandrel supported for rotation about a longitudinal axis and translation along said longitudinal axis; and,
a head assembly including an opening extending therethrough and positioned co-axially relative to said building mandrel such that said building mandrel passes through said opening in said head assembly during translation along said longitudinal axis, said head assembly operative to position and redirect said plurality of cords onto said building mandrel during translation and rotation thereof relative to said head assembly.

8. A system according to claim 7 , wherein said entrance wrap bar and said exit wrap bar are axially co-extensive with one another in offset relation with said at least one dancer roll disposed therebetween.

9. A system according to claim 8 , wherein said tensioner assembly includes an intermediate wrap bar disposed between said entrance wrap bar and said exit wrap bar, and said at least one dancer roll includes a first dancer roll tensioning said plurality of cords between said entrance wrap bar and said intermediate wrap bar and a second dancer roll tensioning said plurality of cords between said intermediate wrap bar and said exit wrap bar.

10. A system according to claim 7 , wherein at least one of said entrance wrap bar and said exit wrap bar is freely rotatable about an axis of rotation thereof, and said tensioner assembly includes a tensioner brake operatively associated with said at least one of said entrance wrap bar and said exit wrap bar, said tensioner brake selectively operable between a first condition in which said at least one of said entrance wrap bar and said exit wrap bar is freely rotatable about said axis of rotation thereof and a second condition in which said tensioner brake substantially inhibits rotation of said at least one of said entrance wrap bar and said exit wrap bar about said axis of rotation thereof.

11. A system according to claim 10 , wherein said tensioner brake is an entrance tensioner brake operatively associated with said entrance wrap bar, and said tensioner assembly includes an exit tensioner brake operatively associated with said exit wrap bar.

12. A system according to claim 10 , wherein said tensioner brake includes actuator selectively operable to switch said tensioner brake between said first and second conditions, and engagement element supported on said actuator and operative to engage said plurality of cords and said at least one of said entrance wrap bar and said exit wrap bar to thereby substantially inhibit rotation of said at least one of said entrance wrap bar and said exit wrap bar.

13. A system according to claim 12 , wherein said tensioner brake includes an engagement pad supported on said engagement element and dimensioned to abuttingly engage said at least one of said entrance wrap bar and said exit wrap bar such that in said second condition said engagement pad substantially inhibits rotation of said at least one of said entrance wrap bar and said exit wrap bar as well as substantially inhibits movement of said plurality of cords across said at least one of said entrance wrap bar and said exit wrap bar.

14. A system for manufacturing a flexible spring member dimensioned for forming an associated gas spring assembly, said system comprising:
a creel assembly supporting a plurality of spools containing at least one cord having an indeterminate length such that a plurality of cords are supported on said creel assembly;
a tensioner assembly spaced apart from said creel assembly and operative to tension approximately equal predetermined length of said plurality of cords received from said creel assembly;
a building mandrel disposed in spaced relation to said tensioner assembly, said building mandrel supported for rotation about a longitudinal axis and translation along said longitudinal axis; and,
a head

Assignees

• Firestone Ind Products Co Llc

Inventors

• Piotrowski James C

Classifications

• B29D22/023 Primary

  Air springs; Air bellows (construction of fluid springs F16F9/00) · CPC title

• B65H2701/314

  Carbon fibres · CPC title

• B65H59/24

  Surfaces movable automatically to compensate for variation in tension · CPC title

• B65H49/32 Primary

  Stands or frameworks · CPC title

• B65H59/16

  Braked elements rotated by material · CPC title