Inertia-actuated valve assemblies as well as gas spring and gas damper assemblies, suspension systems and methods including same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10677308-B2
Application number	US-201715851737-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 21, 2017
Priority date	Dec 31, 2016
Publication date	Jun 9, 2020
Grant date	Jun 9, 2020

Abstract

An inertia-actuated valve assembly includes a valve housing, a valve body and a biasing element. The valve housing includes a groove that has an open end fluidically accessible from along one side thereof. The valve housing includes a flow channel extending therethrough in fluid communication with the groove from along an opposing side of the valve housing. The valve body is positioned within the groove of the valve housing such that the valve body and the valve housing are axially co-extensive along at least a portion thereof. The biasing element operatively engages the valve body and generates a biasing force urging the valve body in a first axial direction. The biasing force is greater than a predetermined dynamic gas pressure threshold value multiplied by a pressure area and is less than or approximately equal to a valve body mass multiplied by 2.5 times the nominal acceleration due to gravity.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A gas spring assembly comprising:
a flexible spring member having a longitudinal axis and including a flexible wall extending longitudinally between first and second ends and peripherally about said axis to at least partially define a spring chamber;
a first end member operatively secured to said first end of said flexible spring member such that a substantially fluid-tight seal is formed therebetween;
a second end member disposed in spaced relation to said first end member and operatively secured to said second end of said flexible spring member such that a substantially fluid-tight seal is formed therebetween, said second end member including an end member wall that at least partially defines an end member chamber; and,
an inertia-actuated valve assembly operatively disposed in fluid communication between said spring chamber and said end member chamber, said inertia-actuated valve assembly including:
a valve housing wall portion extending peripherally about said longitudinal axis with a first housing side disposed in fluid communication with said spring chamber and a second housing side disposed in fluid communication with said end member chamber, said valve housing wall portion including a groove extending thereinto from along said second housing side such that said groove has an open end fluidically accessible from along said second housing side, said valve housing wall portion including at least one flow channel extending thereinto and operatively connected in fluid communication with said groove from along said first housing side, and said valve housing wall portion including an elongated damping passage extending therethrough in fluid communication with said spring chamber and said end member chamber;
a valve body extending peripherally about said axis and positioned within said groove of said valve housing wall portion such that said valve body and said valve housing wall portion are axially co-extensive along at least a portion thereof, said valve body having a valve body mass and a pressure area, and said valve body axially displaceable between:
a first position in which said valve body extends across said at least one flow channel to at least partially form a substantially fluid-tight seal thereacross with said elongated damping passage remaining in fluid communication between said spring chamber and said end member chamber; and,
a second position in which said spring chamber and said end member chamber are disposed in fluid communication with one another with said elongated damping passage remaining in fluid communication between said spring chamber and said end member chamber; and,

a biasing element operatively engaging at least said valve body and generating a biasing force operative to urge said valve body in a first axial direction toward said first housing side of said valve housing wall portion, said biasing force having a magnitude that is:
1) greater than a predetermined dynamic gas pressure threshold value multiplied by said pressure area with said predetermined dynamic gas pressure value corresponding to an internal pressure experienced by said gas spring assembly during a predetermined condition of use; and,
2) less than or approximately equal to said valve body mass multiplied by two and one half (2.5) times the nominal acceleration due to gravity.

2. A gas spring assembly according to claim 1 , wherein said inertia-actuated valve assembly is provided separately from and secured to said second end member.

3. A gas spring assembly according to claim 1 , wherein said valve housing wall portion is integrally formed as a part of said end wall portion of said second end member.

4. A gas spring assembly according to claim 1 , wherein said predetermined dynamic pressure threshold value is within a range of from approximately one and one-tenth (1.1) times to approximately two and one-quarter (2.25) times a predetermined design pressure of said gas spring assembly.

5. A gas spring assembly according to claim 1 , wherein said at least one flow channel includes a plurality of flow channels disposed in peripherally-spaced relation to one another about said longitudinal axis.

6. A gas spring assembly according to claim 1 , wherein said inertia-actuated valve assembly includes at least one sealing interface disposed between said valve housing wall portion and said valve body such at least partially forming a substantially fluid-tight seal therebetween in a closed condition of said valve assembly corresponding to said first position of said valve body.

7. A gas spring assembly according to claim 1 , wherein said valve housing wall portion includes a first end surface portion and a first side surface portion, and said valve body includes a second end surface portion and a second side surface portion respectively disposed in facing relation to said first end surface portion and said first side surface portion with said at least one sealing interface including a sealing element disposed in abutting engagement with at least said first and second end surface portions or at least said first and second side surface portions.

8. A gas spring assembly according to claim 1 , wherein said valve housing wall portion has a maximum cross-sectional dimension, and said elongated damping passage has a passage length greater than said maximum cross-sectional dimension of said valve housing.

9. A gas spring assembly according to claim 8 , wherein said elongated damping passage has a spiral configuration with a first passage end disposed along said first housing side of said valve housing wall portion and a second passage end disposed along said second housing side of said valve housing wall portion.

10. A gas spring assembly according to claim 1 further comprising a damper piston assembly including a damper piston and an elongated damper rod operatively connected to said damper piston, said damper piston positioned within said end member chamber and separating said end member chamber into first and second chamber portions, said damper rod operatively connected to said first end member such that upon extension and compression of said gas spring assembly, said damper piston is reciprocally displaced within said end member chamber and pressurized gas damping is generated from at least pressurized gas transfer between said spring chamber and said end member chamber.

11. A gas spring assembly according to claim 1 , wherein said elongated damping passage is disposed radially inward of said groove, said at least one flow channel and said valve body.

12. A gas spring assembly comprising:
a flexible spring member having a longitudinal axis and at least partially defining a spring chamber;
an end member operatively secured across an end of said flexible spring member such that a substantially fluid-tight seal is formed therebetween, said end member including an end member wall that at least partially defines an end member chamber; and,
an inertia-actuated valve assembly operatively disposed in fluid communication between said spring chamber and said end member chamber, said inertia-actuated valve assembly including:
a valve housing wall portion extending peripherally about said longitudinal axis, said valve housing wall portion including a groove extending axially thereinto and at least one flow channel operatively connected in fluid communication with said groove, and said valve housing wall portion including an elongated damping passage extending therethrough in fluid communication with said spring chamber and said end member chamber separate from said at least one flow channel with said elongated damping passage is disposed radially inward of said groove and said a

Assignees

• Firestone Ind Products Co Llc

Inventors

• Leonard Joshua R

Classifications

• F16F9/0472

  characterised by comprising a damping device (with plastic deformation of members F16F7/12; delay devices or arrangements F15B21/10) · CPC title

• F16F9/365 Primary

  the sealing arrangement having a pressurised chamber separated from the damping medium · CPC title

• B60G11/27 Primary

  wherein the fluid is a gas · CPC title

• B60G2204/126

  Mounting of pneumatic springs · CPC title

• F16F9/049

  multi-chamber units (F16F9/0472, F16F9/05 take precedence) · CPC title