Gas spring and damper assemblies and methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9259985-B2
Application number	US-201314021606-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 9, 2013
Priority date	Sep 7, 2012
Publication date	Feb 16, 2016
Grant date	Feb 16, 2016

Abstract

A gas spring and damper assembly can include a first gas spring having a first spring rate and a second gas spring connected in series with the first gas spring. The second gas spring can have a second spring rate that is at least two times the first spring rate of the first gas spring. A damper can be operatively connected with at least one of the first and second gas springs. A suspension system including one or more of such gas spring and damper assemblies and a method of assembly are also included.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A gas spring and damper assembly comprising:
a first end member;
a second end member disposed in spaced relation to said first end member such that a longitudinal axis extends therebetween;
an intermediate structure interposed between said first and second end members;
a first flexible wall portion operatively connected between said first end member and said intermediate structure, said first flexible wall portion extending peripherally about said axis and at least partially defining a first gas spring having a first spring chamber and a first spring rate;
a second flexible wall portion operatively connected between said second end member and said intermediate structure, said second flexible wall portion extending peripherally about said axis and at least partially defining a second gas spring having a second spring chamber and a second spring rate that is at least two times greater than said first spring rate; and,
a damper operative to dissipate kinetic energy acting on said assembly, said damper at least partially disposed within at least one of said first and second spring chambers and operatively connected to said intermediate structure and said first end member.

2. A gas spring and damper assembly according to claim 1 , wherein said damper is secured between said first end member and said intermediate structure and is substantially-entirely external to said second spring chamber.

3. A gas spring and damper assembly according to claim 2 , wherein said damper is disposed substantially-entirely within said first spring chamber.

4. A gas spring and damper assembly according to claim 1 , wherein said intermediate structure includes at least one pressurized-gas transfer passage extending therethrough, said at least one passage operative to permit pressurized gas flow between said first and second spring chambers and thereby generate pressurized gas damping.

5. A gas spring and damper assembly according to claim 4 , wherein said damper is configured to dissipate energy acting on said assembly from vibrations within a first predetermined range of frequencies, and said pressurized gas damping through said at least one passage of said intermediate structure is operative to dissipate energy acting on said assembly from vibrations within a second predetermined range of frequencies that is different from said first predetermined range of frequencies.

6. A gas spring and damper assembly according to claim 1 , wherein said damper is one of a hydraulic damper, a pressurized-gas damper, an electromagnetic damper and an electrorheologic damper.

7. A gas spring and damper assembly according to claim 6 , wherein said damper includes first and second damping elements operatively engaged with one another for reciprocal movement relative to one another, said first damping element including a housing wall at least partially defining a damping chamber, said second damping element including a damper rod extending lengthwise between opposing first and second ends and a damper piston disposed along said first end of said damper rod with said damper piston and a portion of said damper rod disposed within said damping chamber.

8. A gas spring and damper assembly according to claim 7 , wherein said damper is a pressurized-gas damper and said damper piston separates said damping chamber into a first damping chamber portion and a second damping chamber portion.

9. A gas spring and damper assembly according to claim 8 , wherein at least one of said first and second damping chamber portions is disposed in fluid communication with at least one of said first and second spring chambers.

10. A gas spring and damper assembly according to claim 9 , wherein said first and second damping chamber portions are substantially fluidically isolated from one another by said damper piston, said first damping chamber portion is disposed in fluid communication with said first spring chamber and said second damping chamber portion is disposed in fluid communication with said second spring chamber.

11. A gas spring and damper assembly according to claim 1 further comprising a first flexible wall and a second flexible wall, said first flexible wall extending between opposing ends and including said first flexible wall portion, and said second flexible wall extending between opposing ends and including said second flexible wall portion.

12. A gas spring and damper assembly according to claim 11 further comprising a third end member and a fourth end member, said the third end member disposed in spaced relation to said first end member and secured to an end of said first flexible wall opposite said first end member to at least partially define said first gas spring, said fourth end member disposed in spaced relation to said second end member and secured to an end of said second flexible wall opposite said second end member to at least partially defined said second gas spring.

13. A gas spring and damper assembly according to claim 12 , wherein said third and fourth end members are secured to one another to at least partially form said intermediate structure.

14. A gas spring and damper assembly according to claim 12 , wherein a substantially fluid-tight seal is formed between said third and fourth end members.

15. A gas spring and damper assembly according to claim 11 , wherein said first flexible wall has an elongated sleeve-type construction that forms a rolling lobe along said first end member, and said second flexible wall has a convoluted bellows-type construction, said first and second flexible walls disposed in series with one another.

16. A gas spring and damper assembly according to claim 1 , wherein said first and second flexible wall portions are sections of a common flexible wall, said flexible wall including an inner layer of elastomeric material, an outer layer of elastomeric material, a first plurality of reinforcing plies disposed along said first flexible wall portion and a second plurality of reinforcing plies disposed along said second flexible wall portion.

17. A gas spring and damper assembly according to claim 16 , wherein said first plurality of reinforcing plies are disposed at a first bias angle relative to said longitudinal axis and oriented in opposing directions relative to one another, and said second plurality of reinforcing plies are disposed at a second bias angle relative to said longitudinal axis that is different from said first bias angle with said second plurality of reinforcing plies being oriented in opposing directions relative to one another.

18. A method of assembling a gas spring and damper assembly, said method comprising:
providing a first end member, a second end member and an intermediate structure;
positioning said first end member and said second end member in spaced relation to one another with said intermediate structure interposed between said first and second end members;
securing a first flexible wall portion between said first end member and said intermediate structure to at least partially define a first gas spring having a first spring chamber and a first spring rate;
securing a second flexible wall portion between said second end member and said intermediate structure to at least partially define a second gas spring having a second spring chamber and a second spring rate that is at least two times greater than said first spring rate;
providing a damper operative to dissipate kinetic energy acting on said assembly, positioning at least a portion of said damper within at least one of said first and second spring chambers; and,
c

Assignees

• Firestone Ind Products Co Llc

Inventors

• Leonard Joshua R

Classifications

• F16F9/0409

  characterised by the wall structure · CPC title

• B60G2206/42

  Springs · CPC title

• Y10T29/49611

  for vehicle or clutch · CPC title

• B60G15/12

  and fluid damper · 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