Air spring hybrid piston assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016108985-A1
Application number	US-201414516801-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Oct 17, 2014
Priority date	Oct 17, 2014
Publication date	Apr 21, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

An air spring includes a damper, a support ring associated with a portion of the damper, and a piston assembly. The piston assembly includes a first piston member press-fitted to the damper, and a second piston member fitted with the first piston member. The second piston member is supported by the support ring. The two-piece piston assembly allows for a large package for volume at low cost.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An air spring comprising:
a damper, a support ring associated with a portion of the damper, and a piston assembly comprising:
a first piston member press-fitted to the damper, and
a second piston member fitted with the first piston member, the second piston member being supported by the support ring.

2 . The air spring of claim 1 , further comprising:
a bellow at least partially delimiting at least one working chamber that is constructed and arranged to be filled with compressed air, and a guide tube surrounding at least a portion of the bellow, wherein the bellow is constructed and arranged to roll with respect to an outer surface of the first piston member and an inner surface of the guide tube.

3 . The air spring of claim 1 , wherein the first piston member is generally cylindrical having an interior that receives a portion of a generally cylindrical periphery of the second piston member.

4 . The air spring of claim 3 , further comprising an O-ring providing a seal between the first piston member and the second piston member.

5 . The air spring of claim 1 , further comprising a damper snap ring coupled to a periphery of the damper, the damper snap ring supporting the support ring.

6 . The air spring of claim 1 , wherein the first piston member and the second piston member are each composed of plastic.

7 . The air spring of claim 6 , wherein the first piston member includes metal cap that is press-fitted with an end of the damper.

8 . The air spring of claim 7 , wherein the cap is over-molded by the first piston member.

9 . The air spring of claim 1 , wherein the first piston member is composed of plastic and the second piston member is composed of metal.

10 . The air spring of claim 1 , wherein the first piston member is composed of metal and the second piston member is composed of plastic.

11 . A piston assembly for an air spring having a damper, the piston assembly comprising:
a first piston member constructed and arranged to be press-fitted to the damper, and a second piston member fitted with the first piston member, the second piston member being constructed and arranged to be supported by the damper.

12 . The piston assembly of claim 11 , wherein the first piston member is generally cylindrical having an interior that receives a portion of a generally cylindrical periphery of the second piston member.

13 . The piston assembly of claim 12 , further comprising an O-ring providing a seal between the first piston member and the second piston member.

14 . The piston assembly of claim 11 , in combination with the damper, the combination further comprising a support ring supporting the second piston member and a damper snap ring coupled to a periphery of the damper, the damper snap ring supporting the support ring.

15 . The piston assembly of claim 11 , wherein the first piston member and the second piston member are each composed of plastic.

16 . The piston assembly of claim 15 , wherein the first piston member includes metal cap that is constructed and arranged to be press-fitted with an end of the damper.

17 . The piston assembly of claim 16 , wherein the cap is over-molded by the first piston member.

18 . The air spring of claim 11 , wherein the first piston member is composed of plastic and the second piston member is composed of metal.

19 . The air spring of claim 11 , wherein the first piston member is composed of metal and the second piston member is composed of plastic.

Assignees

• Continental Automotive Systems

Inventors

• Pniewski Garrett M

Classifications

• F16F9/057 Primary

  characterised by the piston · CPC title

• F16F2224/02

  solids · CPC title

• B60G15/14

  the damper being connected to the stub axle and the spring being arranged around the damper · CPC title

• B60G2202/314

  The spring being a pneumatic spring · CPC title

• B60G2204/45021

  for limiting upper mount movement of a McPherson strut · CPC title