Gas spring and gas damper assemblies as well as suspension systems and methods of assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10900534-B2
Application number	US-201615770641-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 31, 2016
Priority date	Oct 31, 2015
Publication date	Jan 26, 2021
Grant date	Jan 26, 2021

Abstract

Gas spring and gas damper assemblies include a gas spring and a gas damper. The gas spring includes a flexible spring member with opposing end members secured thereto and at least partially defining a spring chamber. An elongated damping passage having a spiral configuration extends through one of the end members. The gas damper includes a damper housing that at least partially defines a damping chamber in fluid communication with the spring chamber through the elongated damping passage. A damper piston assembly is received within the damping chamber and secured to the other of the end members. Suspension systems and methods are also included.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A gas spring and gas damper 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; and,
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 includes an outer side wall portion that extends longitudinally along said second end member and an end wall portion oriented transverse to said longitudinal axis, said end member wall at least partially defining an end member cavity disposed radially inward of said outer side wall portion with said end wall portion including a first surface facing toward said first end member and a second surface facing away from said first end member;
a housing sleeve extending longitudinally between opposing sleeve ends, said housing sleeve including a sleeve wall with an inner surface and an outer surface, said housing sleeve at least partially received within said end member cavity with said inner surface of said sleeve wall at least partially defining a damping chamber;
a damper rod assembly including a damper piston and an elongated damper rod operatively connected to said damper piston, said damper piston positioned within said damping chamber and including an outer side wall disposed adjacent said inner surface of said sleeve wall, said damper piston separating said damping chamber into first and second chamber portions;
an elongated damping passage having an open side along said second surface of said end wall portion and extending between a first passage end and a second passage end, said elongated damping passage having a spiral configuration disposed in a plane oriented transverse to said longitudinal axis with said first passage end disposed in fluid communication with said spring chamber and said second passage end disposed in fluid communication with one of said first and second chamber portions; and,
an end plate disposed within said end member cavity and extending across said open side of said elongated damping passage, said end plate including a port in fluid communication with one of said first and second passage ends of said elongated damping passage such that pressurized gas transfers between said elongated damping passage and said damping chamber through said port in said end plate;
said damper rod operatively connected to said first end member such that upon extension and compression of said gas spring and gas damper assembly, said damper piston is reciprocally displaced within said damping chamber and pressurized gas damping is generated from at least pressurized gas transfer through said elongated damping passage between said spring chamber and said damping chamber.

2. A gas spring and gas damper assembly according to claim 1 , wherein said end plate has an outer peripheral edge, and one of said sleeve ends of said housing sleeve is disposed in abutting engagement with said outer peripheral edge to at least partially retain said end plate in abutting engagement with said end wall portion of said end member wall.

3. A gas spring and gas damper assembly according to claim claim 1 , wherein said end plate includes an inner peripheral edge at least partially defining an opening through said end plate, and said gas spring and gas damper assembly further comprises a support ring extending through said opening in said end plate, said support ring secured to said end wall portion to at least partially retain said end plate in abutting engagement with said end wall portion of said end member wall.

4. A gas spring and gas damper assembly according to claim 1 , wherein said second end member includes an indexing feature formed therealong, and said end plate includes an indexing feature cooperative with said indexing feature of said second end member to rotationally locate said end plate about said axis relative to said second end member.

5. A gas spring and gas damper assembly according to claim 1 further comprising an end cap disposed along one of said sleeve ends opposite said second end member.

6. A gas spring and gas damper assembly according to claim 5 , wherein said end cap includes an end cap wall that at least partially defines an end cap cavity, and said gas spring and gas damper assembly further comprises the end plate disposed within said end cap cavity.

7. A gas spring and gas damper assembly according to claim 6 , wherein said end plate has an outer peripheral edge, and one of said sleeve ends of said housing sleeve is disposed in abutting engagement with said outer peripheral edge to at least partially retain said end plate in abutting engagement with said end cap wall of said end cap.

8. A gas spring and gas damper assembly according to claim 1 further comprising a seal disposed between said end wall portion of said end member wall and said end plate substantially inhibiting pressurized gas transfer therebetween.

9. A method of manufacturing a gas spring and gas damper assembly, said method comprising:
providing 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;
providing a first end member and securing said first end member across said first end of said flexible spring member such that a substantially fluid-tight seal is formed therebetween;
providing a second end member including an end member wall that includes an outer side wall portion that extends longitudinally along said second end member and an end wall portion oriented transverse to said longitudinal axis with said end member wall at least partially defining an end member cavity disposed radially inward of said outer side wall portion, said end wall portion including a first surface, a second surface facing opposite said first surface and an elongated damping passage having an open side along said second surface of said end wall portion, said elongated damping passage extending between a first passage end and a second passage end and having a spiral configuration disposed in a plane oriented transverse to said longitudinal axis;
securing said second end member across said second end of said flexible spring member such that a substantially fluid-tight seal is formed therebetween and such that said first passage end of said elongated damping passage is disposed in fluid communication with said spring chamber and said second passage end is disposed in fluid communication with said end member cavity;
providing an end plate including a port extending therethrough, and positioning said end plate within said end member cavity across said open side of said elongated damping passage such that said port is disposed in fluid communication with one of said first and second passage ends of said elongated damping passage whereby pressurized gas can transfer between said elongated damping passage and said end member cavity through said port in said end plate;
providing a housing sleeve extending longitudinally between opposing sleeve ends, said housing sleeve including a sleeve wall with an inner surface and an outer surface;
positioning said housing sleeve at least partially within said end member cavity such that said inner surface of said sleeve wall at least partially defines a damping chamber;
provid

Assignees

• Firestone Ind Products Co Llc

Inventors

• Leonard Joshua R

Classifications

• F16F9/049 Primary

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

• F16F9/0472

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

• B60G17/0521

  the spring having a flexible wall · CPC title

• F16F9/0454

  characterised by the assembling method or by the mounting arrangement, e.g. mounting of the membrane (F16F9/0409, F16F9/0445 take precedence) · CPC title

• F16F9/055

  having a double diaphragm construction · CPC title