Gas Spring Assemblies And Methods Of Assembling Same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2021364057-A1
Application number	US-201916957456-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jan 14, 2019
Priority date	Jan 19, 2018
Publication date	Nov 25, 2021
Grant date	—

Abstract

Gas spring assemblies include a flexible spring member and a restraining cylinder. The flexible spring member includes a flexible wall extending longitudinally between first and second ends as well as peripherally about a longitudinal axis. The flexible wall includes an inside surface and an outside surface with the inside surface at least partially defining a spring chamber. The restraining cylinder includes a cylinder wall that extends longitudinally between first and second open ends as well as peripherally about the longitudinal axis. The cylinder wall includes an inside surface and an outside surface. The restraining cylinder is disposed longitudinally along the flexible spring member between the first and second ends thereof with at least a portion of the inside surface of the restraining cylinder permanently attached to the flexible wall along the outside surface thereof by way of a chemically-bonded joint. Methods of assembly are also included.

First claim

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, said flexible wall including an inside surface and an outside surface with said inside surface at least partially defining a spring chamber; a restraining cylinder including a cylinder wall extending longitudinally between first and second open ends and peripherally about said axis, said cylinder wall including an inside surface and an outside surface as well as a first wall portion and a second wall portion extending longitudinally from along said first wall portion, said restraining cylinder disposed longitudinally along said flexible spring member between said first and second ends thereof with at least a portion of one of said inside surface and said outside surface of said restraining cylinder permanently attached to said flexible wall along said outside surface thereof by way of a chemically-bonded joint with said chemically-bonded joint disposed along said first wall portion such that said flexible wall is separable from said second wall portion; and a first coating disposed along at least some of said inside surface of said second wall portion of said cylinder wall and/or at least some of said outside surface of said flexible wall in facing relation to said inside surface of said second wall portion of said cylinder wall such that said first coating is operative to inhibit formation of a chemically-bonded joint between said flexible wall and said inside surface of said second wall portion of said cylinder wall.

2 . A gas spring assembly according to claim 1 , wherein said flexible wall is at least partially formed from an elastomeric material, and said chemically-bonded joint includes a cured-material joint in which said elastomeric material cured along at least a portion of said inside surface of said restraining cylinder.

3 . A gas spring assembly according to claim 2 , wherein said cured-material joint is a cross-linked-material joint in which said elastomeric material is cross-linked along at least a portion of said inside surface of said restraining cylinder.

4 . A gas spring assembly according to claim 3 , wherein said elastomeric material is one of natural rubber and synthetic rubber, and said cross-linked-material joint is a vulcanized-material joint in which said one of said natural and synthetic rubber is vulcanized along at least a portion of said inside surface of said restraining cylinder.

5 . (canceled)

6 . A gas spring assembly according to claim 1 , wherein said first wall portion is approximately cylindrical, and said second wall portion extends longitudinally from along said first wall portion at an acute angle relative to said first wall portion.

7 . A gas spring assembly according to claim 1 , wherein said first wall portion has an approximately linear cross-sectional profile and said second wall portion has one of a curved cross-sectional profile and an approximately linear cross-sectional profile.

8 . A gas spring assembly according claim 1 , wherein said cylinder wall includes a third wall portion extending longitudinally from along said first wall portion in a direction opposite said second wall portion.

9 . A gas spring assembly according to claim 1 , wherein said restraining cylinder includes a second coating disposed along at least a portion of said inside surface of said first wall portion of said cylinder wall.

10 . (canceled)

11 . A gas spring assembly according to claim 9 , wherein said second coating includes a bonding primer disposed along at least said inside surface of said first wall portion and operative to promote formation of said chemically-bonded joint.

12 . A gas spring assembly according to claim 9 , wherein said second coating includes a tack adhesive disposed along at least said inside surface of said first wall portion and operative to retain said flexible wall in abutting engagement with said inside surface of said first wall portion prior to formation of said chemically-bonded joint.

13 . (canceled)

14 . A gas spring assembly according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a first end member secured across said first end of said flexible spring member such that a substantially fluid-tight seal is formed therebetween; and, a second end member secured across said second end of said flexible spring member such that a substantially fluid-tight seal is formed therebetween with said spring chamber is at least partially defined by said flexible spring member between said first and second end members.

15 . A suspension system comprising:
a gas spring assembly according to claim 1 ; a pressurized gas source in fluid communication with said spring chamber of said gas spring assembly.

16 . A method of manufacturing a gas spring assembly, said method comprising:
providing a flexible spring member having a longitudinal axis and including a flexible wall that extends longitudinally between first and second ends and peripherally about said axis, said flexible wall including an inside surface and an outside surface with said inside surface at least partially defining a spring chamber; providing a restraining cylinder that includes a cylinder wall extending longitudinally between first and second open ends and peripherally about said axis, said cylinder wall including an inside surface and an outside surface as well as a first wall portion and a second wall portion extending longitudinally from along said first wall portion; applying a first coating along at least some of said inside surface of said second wall portion of said cylinder wall and/or at least some of said outside surface of said flexible wall with said first coating inhibiting formation of a chemically-bonded joint between said flexible wall and said inside surface of said second wall portion of said cylinder wall; positioning said restraining cylinder longitudinally along said flexible spring member between said first and second ends thereof such that at least a portion of said inside surface of said restraining cylinder is disposed in abutting engagement with a portion of said outside surface of said flexible wall; and, forming a chemically-bonded joint between a portion of one of said inside surface and said outside surface along said first wall portion of said cylinder wall and a portion of said outside surface of said flexible wall such that said restraining cylinder and said flexible spring member are permanently attached to one another with said flexible wall remaining separable along said second wall portion of said cylinder wall.

17 . A method according to claim 16 , wherein said flexible wall is at least partially formed from an elastomeric material, and forming said chemically-bonded joint includes curing said elastomeric material together with said restraining cylinder such that a cured-material joint is formed by said flexible wall along at least a portion of said inside surface of said restraining cylinder.

18 . A method according to claim 17 , wherein said elastomeric material is an uncured elastomeric material, and positioning said restraining cylinder along said flexible spring member includes positioning said restraining cylinder along said uncured elastomeric material prior to curing said elastomeric material together with said restraining cylinder.

19 . A method according to claim 17 , wherein curing said elastomeric material includes cross-linking said elastomeric material such that a cross-linke

Assignees

• Firestone Ind Products Co Llc

Inventors

• Zegveld Rutger
• Van Aartsen Jan

Classifications

• B60G15/12 Primary

  and fluid damper · CPC title

• F16F9/05

  the flexible wall being of the rolling diaphragm type · CPC title

• B60G2202/152

  Pneumatic spring · CPC title

• F16F2230/10

  Enclosure elements, e.g. for protection · CPC title

• F16F9/0418

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