Gas spring assemblies and internal misalignment mounts for same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016101663-A1
Application number	US-201414888525-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	May 1, 2014
Priority date	May 1, 2013
Publication date	Apr 14, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

An assembly (AS 1 ) in accordance with the subject matter of the present disclosure can include a gas spring ( 200 ), an internally-mounted device ( 300 ) and a mounting assembly ( 400, 500 ) operatively connecting the internally-mounted device to an end member ( 202, 204 ) of the gas spring ( 200 ). The mounting assembly ( 400, 500 ) can permit at least a portion of the internally-mounted device to undergo 360 degree rotational and pivotal displacement relative the end member ( 202, 204 ) of the as spring ( 200 ). The mounting assembly ( 400, 500 ) can include a device mount ( 402, 502 ) that can be operatively secured to the internally-mounted device ( 300 ) and a retainer ( 404, 504 ) that is secured to the end member ( 202, 204 ) and operatively retains the device mount ( 402, 502 ) adjacent the end member ( 202, 204 ). The device mount ( 402, 502 ) and the retainer ( 404, 504 ) can include complimentary semi-spherical surfaces that permit the relative movement between internally-mounted device ( 300 ) and the end member ( 202, 204 ) of the gas spring ( 200 ).

First claim

1 . An assembly comprising:
a gas spring including:
a flexible spring member having a longitudinal axis, said flexible spring member extending longitudinally between first and second ends and peripherally about said longitudinal axis to at least partially define a spring chamber;
a first end member secured in a substantially fluid-tight manner across said first end; and,
a second end member disposed in spaced relation to said first end member and secured in a substantially fluid-tight manner across said second end; and,
an internally-mounted device at least partially disposed within said spring chamber of said gas spring and operatively connected between said first and second end members; and, a first mounting assembly operatively connecting said internally-mounted device to one of said first and second end members such that said internally-mounted device can undergo 360 degree pivotal and rotational displacement relative to said one of said first and second end members.

2 . An assembly according to claim 1 , wherein said first mounting assembly includes a device mount operatively secured to said internally-mounted device adjacent said one of said first and second end members, and a retainer secured to said one of said first and second end members and operatively retaining said device mount adjacent said one of said first and second end members.

3 . An assembly according to claim 2 , wherein said device mount includes a wall with a first wall portion including a first semi-spherical surface with one of a concave shape and a convex shape.

4 . An assembly according to claim 3 , wherein said retainer includes a wall with a first wall portion including a first semi-spherical surface with the other of said concave shape and said convex shape.

5 . An assembly according to claim 4 , wherein said semi-spherical surface of said first wall portion of said device mount and said semi-spherical surface of said first wall portion of said retainer are disposed in facing relation to one another and cooperatively engage one another such that said semi-spherical surfaces can be slidingly displaced relative to one another to permit said 360 degree pivotal and rotational displacement of said internally-mounted device relative to said one of said first and second end members.

6 . An assembly according to claim 1 , wherein said first wall portion of said wall of said retainer has an approximately uniform thickness such that said first wall portion has a second semi-spherical surface opposite said first semi-spherical surface.

7 . An assembly according to claim 1 , wherein said first mounting assembly includes a support disposed between said device mount and said one of said first and second end members such that said device mount is supported in spaced-apart relation to said one of said first and second end members.

8 . An assembly according to claim 7 , wherein said support includes a wall with a first wall portion including a first semi-spherical surface with the other of said concave shape and said convex shape.

9 . An assembly according to 8 , wherein said first semi-spherical surface of said retainer and said first semi-spherical surface of said support are disposed in space-apart relation to one another such that semi-spherical gap is disposed therebetween.

10 . An assembly according to claim 9 , wherein said first wall portion of said wall of said device mount has an approximately uniform thickness such that said first wall portion has a second semi-spherical surface opposite said first semi-spherical surface with at least some of said first wall portion received within said semi-spherical gap between said retainer and said support.

11 . An assembly according to claim 7 , wherein said support is a substantially rigid support maintaining pivotal movement of said semi-spherical surface of said device mount about a substantially-fixed pivot point relative to at least one of said retainer and said one of said first and second end members.

12 . An assembly according to claim 11 , wherein said support substantially inhibits axial displacement of said device mount relative to said one of said first and second end members.

13 . An assembly according to claim 7 , wherein said support includes one or more biasing elements operative to urge said semi-spherical surface of said first wall portion of said device mount into abutting engagement with said semi-spherical surface of said first wall portion of said retainer.

14 . An assembly according to claim 1 , further comprising a second mounting assembly operatively connecting said internally-mounted device to the other of said first and second end members such that said internally-mounted device can undergo 360 degree pivotal and rotational displacement relative to the other of said first and second end members.

15 . An assembly according to claim 14 , wherein at least one of said first and second mounting assemblies is a resilient mounting assembly operative to undergo resilient deflection.

16 . An assembly according to claim 14 , wherein at least one of said first and second mounting assemblies is a non-resilient mounting assembly operative to undergo substantially non-resilient deflection.

17 . An assembly according to claim 1 , wherein said internally-mounted device is one of a rebound limiter, a sensing device and a damping member.

18 . An assembly according to claim 17 , wherein said internally-mounted device is said damping member and includes a first damper element and a second damper element that are telescopically interengaged with one another for relative reciprocal motion with at least one of said first and second damper elements including a damping chamber including a quantity of at least one of a liquid and a pressurized gas as a working medium.

Assignees

• Firestone Ind Products Co Llc

Inventors

• Leonard Joshua R

Classifications

• F16F9/0472 Primary

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

• B60G2204/126

  Mounting of pneumatic springs · CPC title

• B60G2202/314

  The spring being a pneumatic spring · CPC title

• B60G15/12 Primary

  and fluid damper · CPC title

• F16F2230/0052

  Physically guiding or influencing · CPC title