End member assemblies as well as gas spring assemblies and methods of manufacture including same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9387865-B2
Application number	US-201414182733-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 18, 2014
Priority date	Feb 18, 2013
Publication date	Jul 12, 2016
Grant date	Jul 12, 2016

Abstract

An end member assembly dimensioned for securement to an associated flexible spring member of an associated gas spring assembly. The end member assembly can include a base wall and a mounting wall disposed in axially-spaced relation to the base wall. A compliant support structure is disposed between the base and mounting walls. The compliant support structure includes at least one compliant element that includes a compliant element body and one or more reinforcing plies at least partially embedded within the compliant element body. Rigid elements can be disposed between adjacent compliant elements if two or more compliant elements are included. A gas spring assembly and a method of manufacture can include one or more of such end member assemblies.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An end member assembly dimensioned for securement to an associated end of an associated flexible spring member of an associated gas spring assembly, said end member assembly comprising:
a base plate including a base plate wall formed from a substantially rigid material and dimensioned for securement to an associated structural component;
a mounting plate disposed in spaced relation to one another such that an end member axis extends longitudinally therebetween, said mounting plate including a mounting plate wall formed from a substantially rigid material and dimensioned for securement to an associated end of the associated spring member; and,
a compliant support structure secured between said base plate and said mounting plate, said compliant support structure including a compliant element having a body at least partially formed from a compliant material and at least one reinforcing ply at least partially embedded within said body.

2. An end member assembly according to claim 1 , wherein said compliant element of said compliant support structure is one of a plurality of compliant elements and at least one of said plurality of compliant elements includes said body at least partially formed from said compliant material and said at least one reinforcing ply at least partially embedded within said body.

3. An end member assembly according to claim 1 , wherein said compliant element of said compliant support structure is one of at least two compliant elements and said compliant support structure includes at least one rigid element disposed between adjacent ones of said at least two compliant elements.

4. An end member assembly according to claim 3 , wherein one of said compliant elements is attached to said base plate and another one of said compliant elements is attached to said mounting plate.

5. An end member assembly according to claim 3 , wherein said at least two compliant elements have a substantially similar construction and exhibit substantially similar performance characteristics to one another.

6. An end member assembly according to claim 3 , wherein one of said at least two compliant elements has a first construction and a first performance characteristic corresponding to said first construction, and another one of said at least two compliant elements has a second construction that differs from said first construction and a second performance characteristic corresponding to said second construction that differs from said first performance characteristic.

7. An end member assembly according to claim 6 , wherein said first construction includes a first free height and said second construction includes a second free height that is different from said first free height.

8. An end member assembly according to claim 6 , wherein said first construction includes a body at least partially formed from a first compliant material and said second construction includes a body at least partially formed from a second compliant material that is different from said first compliant material.

9. An end member assembly according to claim 6 , wherein said first construction includes a plurality of reinforcing plies including reinforcing filaments disposed at a first bias angle relative to said end member axis, and said second construction includes a plurality of reinforcing plies including reinforcing filaments disposed at a second bias angle relative to said end member axis that is different from said first bias angle.

10. An end member assembly according to claim 6 , wherein said first construction includes a first plurality of reinforcing plies, and said second construction includes a second plurality of reinforcing plies that is different from said first plurality of reinforcing plies.

11. An end member assembly according to claim 1 , wherein said compliant element of said compliant support structure is one of at least three compliant elements and said compliant support structure includes at least two rigid elements disposed between adjacent ones of said at least three compliant elements with said at least two rigid elements disposed in spaced relation to one another with at least one compliant element disposed therebetween.

12. An end member assembly according to claim 1 , wherein said compliant element body is at least partially formed from an elastomeric material including at least one of a natural rubber, a synthetic rubber and a thermoplastic elastomer.

13. An end member assembly according to claim 1 , wherein said compliant element includes an outer side surface with said at least one reinforcing ply extending peripherally about said end member axis radially inward of said outer side surface.

14. An end member assembly according to claim 1 , wherein said compliant element extends axially between an upper surface and a lower surface with said at least one reinforcing ply extending within said body between said upper and lower surfaces.

15. A gas spring assembly comprising:
a flexible spring member having a longitudinal axis and extending between a first end and a second end opposite said first end, said flexible spring member extending peripherally about said longitudinal axis such that a spring chamber is at least partially defined by said flexible spring member between said first and second ends;
an end member extending across said first end of said flexible spring member and secured to said flexible spring member such that a substantially fluid-tight seal is formed therewith; and,
an end member assembly including:
a base plate including a base plate wall formed from a substantially rigid material and dimensioned for securement to an associated structural component;
a mounting plate including a mounting plate wall formed from a substantially rigid material and dimensioned for securement to an end of the associated flexible spring member; and,
a compliant support structure secured between said base plate and said mounting plate, said compliant support structure including a compliant element having a body at least partially formed from a compliant material and at least one reinforcing ply at least partially embedded within said body, said at least one reinforcing ply operative to restrict radially-outward expansion of said at least one compliant element under compression of said gas spring assembly.

16. An end member assembly according to claim 15 , wherein said compliant support structure is attached in a substantially fluid-tight manner between said base plate and said mounting plate.

17. An end member assembly according to claim 15 , wherein said compliant support structure includes an end member chamber at least partially defined by said compliant element with said end member chamber disposed in fluid communication with said spring chamber.

18. An end member assembly according to claim 15 , wherein said compliant support structure includes a plurality of compliant elements and at least one comparatively rigid element arranged in an alternating series such that one rigid element is disposed between adjacent compliant elements.

19. An end member assembly according to claim 18 , wherein said plurality of compliant elements include from two to twenty-one compliant elements, and said at least one comparatively rigid element includes from one to twenty rigid elements.

20. A suspension system comprising:
a pressurized gas system including a pressurized gas source and a control device; and,
at least one gas spring assembly according to claim 15 disposed in fluid communication with said pressurized gas

Assignees

• Firestone Ind Products Co Llc

Inventors

• Jackson Jr David D
• Cagle Jakob B
• Groover Charlie B

Classifications

• B61F5/10 Primary

  incorporating fluid springs · CPC title

• Y10T29/49609

  Spring making · CPC title

• F16F1/406

  characterised by the shape of the elastic elements · CPC title

• B60G2206/424

  Plunger or top retainer construction for bellows or rolling lobe type air springs · CPC title

• F16F9/04

  in a chamber with a flexible wall {(producing hollow articles of plastics, e.g. air bellows, B29D22/00)} · CPC title