Gas spring and gas damper assembly and method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9290073-B2
Application number	US-201214350046-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 5, 2012
Priority date	Oct 5, 2011
Publication date	Mar 22, 2016
Grant date	Mar 22, 2016

Abstract

A gas spring and gas damper assembly ( 1000 ) includes a gas spring assembly ( 1002 ) and a gas damper assembly ( 1004 ). The gas spring assembly ( 1002 ) includes a first wall portion ( 1006 ), a second wall portion ( 1008 ) disposed in spaced relation to the first wall portion ( 1006 ), and a flexible wall section ( 1010 ) connected therebetween. The gas damper assembly ( 1004 ) includes a third wall portion ( 1094 ) disposed in longitudinally-spaced relation to the first wall portion ( 1006 ), and a second flexible wall section ( 1104 ) connected between the second wall portion ( 1008 ) and the third wall portion ( 1094 ). A fourth wall portion ( 1070 ) is disposed between the first ( 1006 ) and second ( 1008 ) wall sections to define two pressurized gas chambers ( 1012, 1004 ). A damper rod ( 1130 ) connects at least the first ( 1006 ) and third ( 1094 ) wall portions. Methods are also included.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A gas spring and gas damper assembly comprising:
a gas spring assembly including:
a first wall portion;
a second wall portion disposed in spaced relation to said first wall portion such that a longitudinal axis is formed therebetween; and,
a first flexible wall section extending circumferentially about said axis and operatively connected between said first and second wall portions such that a first chamber is at least partially defined therebetween; and,

a gas damper assembly including:
a third wall portion disposed in longitudinally-spaced relation to said first wall portion of said gas spring assembly;
a second flexible wall section extending circumferentially about said axis and operatively connected between said second wall portion and said third wall portion such that a second chamber is at least partially defined therebetween, said second flexible wall section including a wall section end with an outer edge disposed in facing relation to said second chamber;
a fourth wall portion including opposing first and second sides, and including first and second passages extending therethrough between said first and second sides, said fourth wall portion oriented such that said first side of said fourth wall portion is in fluid communication with said first chamber and said second side is in fluid communication with said second chamber;
a damper rod extending through said first passage of said fourth wall portion and operatively connecting said first wall portion to said third wall portion; and,
a sealing element operatively disposed between said outer edge and said second chamber such that said outer edge is fluidically isolated from said second chamber by said sealing element;

said gas spring and gas damper assembly capable of undergoing extension and compression actions such that:
during an extension action, pressurized gas is transferred through at least said second passage of said fourth wall portion from said second chamber into said first chamber; and,
during a compression action, pressurized gas is transferred through at least said second passage of said fourth wall portion from said first chamber into said second chamber.

2. A gas spring and gas damper assembly according to claim 1 , wherein said first wall portion is a side wall portion of a first end member, said second wall portion is a side wall portion of a second end member, said third wall portion at least partially forms a roll-off piston, and said fourth wall portion is an end wall portion of said second end member that is operatively connected to said side wall portion of said second end member.

3. A gas spring and gas damper assembly according to claim 2 , wherein said first flexible wall section forms a rolling lobe along an outer surface of said side wall portion of said second end member, and said second flexible wall section forms a rolling lobe between an inner surface of said side wall portion of said second end member and said roll-off piston.

4. A gas spring and gas damper assembly according to claim 1 , wherein first and second flexible wall sections are portions of a single flexible wall.

5. A gas spring and gas damper assembly according to claim 1 , wherein said first flexible wall section is at least partially formed from a flexible wall having first and second reinforcing plies disposed at opposing angles to one another, and said second the flexible wall section is at least partially formed from a flexible wall having a single reinforcing ply extending longitudinally along said flexible wall.

6. A gas spring and gas damper assembly according to claim 1 , wherein said first and second flexible wall sections are secured along said second wall portion in axially spaced relation to one another.

7. A gas spring and gas damper assembly according to claim 1 , wherein said wall section end of said second flexible wall section is secured using a retaining ring.

8. A gas spring and gas damper assembly according to claim 7 , wherein said retaining ring includes an annular surface and an annular groove extending into said retaining ring and disposed in axially-spaced relation to said annular surface, said annular groove dimensioned to receive said sealing element, said retaining ring positioned along said wall section end of said second flexible wall section such that said annular surface is disposed in abutting engagement with said wall section end with said outer edge disposed along said annular surface such that said sealing element is operative to form a substantially fluid tight seal with one of said second wall portion, said third wall portion and said fourth wall portion.

9. A gas spring and gas damper assembly according to claim 1 , wherein said one of said first flexible wall section and said second flexible wall section includes at least one reinforcing ply, and said outer edge is formed by severing said one of said first flexible wall section and said second flexible wall section to form a cut end along which said at least one reinforcing ply is exposed.

10. A gas spring and gas damper assembly according to claim 1 , wherein said second wall portion includes a first wall section and a second wall section spaced radially inwardly from said first wall section with a connecting wall section extending their between, said first flexible wall section is secured along said second wall section of said second wall portion, and said second flexible wall section is secured along said first wall section of said second wall portion.

11. A gas spring and gas damper assembly comprising:
a first end member;
a second end member disposed in longitudinally-spaced relation to said first end member such that a longitudinal axis is at least partially defined therebetween, said second end member including an end wall and a side wall extending longitudinally from along said end wall in a direction away from said first end member, said side wall having an inner surface and an outer surface, and said end wall and said side wall together at least partially defining an end member cavity;
a third end member disposed within said end member cavity of said second end member, said third end member including an end wall and a side wall extending longitudinally from along said end wall in a direction away from said first end member, said side wall of said third end member having an outer surface;
an elongated rod extending through said end wall of said second end member and secured between said first and third end members and operative to maintain said third end member in a substantially fixed axial position relative to said first end member;
a first flexible wall extending peripherally about said axis and longitudinally between first and second ends, said first end of said first flexible wall secured to said first end member such that a substantially fluid-tight seal is formed therebetween, said second end of said first flexible wall secured to said second end member such that a substantially fluid-tight seal is formed therebetween, said first flexible wall at least partially defining a first pressurized gas chamber between said first and second end members, and said first flexible wall forming a first rolling lobe along said outer surface of said side wall of said second end member;
a second flexible wall extending peripherally about said axis and longitudinally between first and second ends, said second flexible wall at least partially defining a second pressurized gas chamber between said second and third end members, and said second flexible wall forming a second rolling lobe between said inner surface of said side wall of said second end member and said outer surface of said side wall of said third end member, s

Assignees

• Firestone Ind Products Co Llc

Inventors

• Bounds Joseph A

Classifications

• F16F9/0454

  characterised by the assembling method or by the mounting arrangement, e.g. mounting of the membrane (F16F9/0409, F16F9/0445 take precedence) · CPC title

• B60G2202/314

  The spring being a pneumatic spring · CPC title

• B60G2206/40

  Constructional features of dampers and/or springs · CPC title

• F16F2226/04

  Assembly or fixing methods; methods to form or fashion parts · CPC title

• Y10T29/49609

  Spring making · CPC title