Air Spring Gaiters With Floating Ring

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2021140506-A1
Application number	US-202016949616-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Nov 6, 2020
Priority date	Nov 8, 2019
Publication date	May 13, 2021
Grant date	—

Abstract

An assembly for an air spring includes an outer gaiter defined in part by an interior portion, an inner gaiter defined in part by an exterior portion, at least one floating ring extending from a first floating ring end to a second floating ring end, the first floating ring end coupled with the inner gaiter and the second floating ring end is coupled with the outer gaiter, where the at least one floating ring allows the outer gaiter to move relative to the inner gaiter.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An assembly comprising:
an outer gaiter defined in part by an interior portion, the outer gaiter extending from an outer gaiter first end to an outer gaiter second end; an inner gaiter defined in part by an exterior portion, the inner gaiter extending from an inner gaiter first end to an inner gaiter second end; and at least one floating ring extending from a first floating ring end to a second floating ring end, the first floating ring end coupled with the inner gaiter and the second floating ring end is coupled with the outer gaiter where the at least one floating ring allows the outer gaiter to move relative to the inner gaiter.

2 . The assembly as recited in claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the inner gaiter is disposed within the outer gaiter.

3 . The assembly as recited in claim 1 , wherein the outer gaiter and the inner gaiter are telescoping relative to each other.

4 . The assembly as recited in claim 1 , wherein the at least one floating ring includes a flange coupled to at least one of the inner gaiter or the outer gaiter.

5 . The assembly as recited in claim 1 , wherein the inner gaiter is coupled with the floating ring with one or more of clamps, snap fit, a weld joint, or overmolding.

6 . The assembly as recited in claim 1 , wherein the outer gaiter is coupled with the floating ring with one or more of clamps, snap fit, a weld joint, or overm old ing.

7 . The assembly as recited in any one of claim 1 , wherein the floating ring first end is coupled with the inner gaiter first end.

8 . The assembly as recited in any one of claim 1 , wherein the floating ring second end is coupled with the outer gaiter second end.

9 . An air spring assembly, comprising:
an outer gaiter; a floating ring connected to the outer gaiter; and an inner gaiter connected to the floating ring; wherein the outer gaiter, the floating ring, and the inner gaiter, move relative to one another in a telescoping manner when force is applied to the air spring assembly.

10 . The air spring assembly of claim 9 , the floating ring further comprising:
a plurality of flanges; a floating ring first end, a first of the plurality of flanges integrally formed as part of the floating ring first end and connected to the inner gaiter; and a floating ring second end, and second of the plurality of flanges integrally formed as part of the floating ring second end and connected to the outer gaiter; wherein the first of the plurality of flanges extends away from the floating ring in the opposite direction relative to the second of the plurality of flanges.

11 . The air spring assembly of claim 9 , further comprising:
a piston connected to the inner gaiter; and a guide tube connected to the outer gaiter (outer gaiter first end); wherein the piston is moved relative to the guide tube to a compressed position, such that the inner gaiter and the outer gaiter are compressed, and the entire inner gaiter is circumscribed by the floating ring.

12 . The air spring assembly of claim 11 , further comprising:
an end of the inner gaiter connected to the piston; and an end of the outer gaiter connected to the floating ring; wherein the end of the inner gaiter connected to the piston is disposed at substantially the same longitudinal position as end of the outer gaiter connected to the floating ring when the gaiter assembly is in the compressed position.

13 . The air spring assembly of claim 11 , wherein as the air spring assembly is changed between the compressed position and a decompressed position, the piston and the guide tube move relative to one another, and the floating ring moves relative to both the piston and the guide tube.

14 . The air spring assembly of claim 9 , the floating ring further comprising a Z-shaped cross section.

15 . The air spring assembly of claim 9 , wherein a portion of the outer gaiter circumscribes at least a portion of the inner gaiter, independently of the position of the floating ring.

16 . The air spring assembly of claim 9 , wherein the floating ring circumscribes a portion of the inner gaiter.

17 . The air spring assembly of claim 9 , wherein a portion of the outer gaiter circumscribes the floating ring.

18 . The air spring assembly of claim 9 , wherein a portion of the outer gaiter circumscribes at least a portion of the inner gaiter.

Assignees

• Continental automotive systems inc

Inventors

• Makkar Sunny
• Jerisk Joseph
• Pniewski Garrett Mark

Classifications

• F16J3/042

  Fastening details · CPC title

• F16F9/0418

  having a particular shape, e.g. annular, spherical, tube-like (F16F9/05 takes precedence) · CPC title

• F16J3/041

  Non-metallic bellows · CPC title

• F16J15/36

  connected by a diaphragm {or bellow} to the other member · CPC title

• F16J15/52 Primary

  by means of sealing bellows or diaphragms (connection of valves to inflatable elastic bodies B60C29/00) · CPC title