Lateral support element, gas spring assembly and method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9631693-B2
Application number	US-201314413978-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 12, 2013
Priority date	Jul 12, 2012
Publication date	Apr 25, 2017
Grant date	Apr 25, 2017

Abstract

A lateral support element ( 304 ) include an element wall with a first surface facing away from an associated flexible wall ( 264 ) and a second surface facing toward the associated flexible wall. The lateral support element is disposed along the associated flexible wall such that an interface ( 334 ) is formed between an outer surface of the associated flexible wall and the second surface of the lateral support element. The interface is operative to generate a lateral spring-rate profile in an associated gas spring assembly that varies according to lateral displacement of the associated flexible wall and the lateral support element relative to one another. The interface can include a quantity of friction-reducing material and/or can be at least partially formed by a cross-sectional profile of the lateral support element that includes a convex profile segment. Gas spring assemblies and methods of assembly are also included.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A gas spring assembly comprising:
a flexible wall having a longitudinal axis and extending peripherally about said longitudinal axis between a first end and a second end spaced longitudinally from said first end, said flexible wall including an inner surface and an outer surface with said inner surface at least partially defining a spring chamber; and,
a lateral support element including an element wall with a first surface facing away from said flexible wall and a second surface facing toward said flexible wall, said lateral support element disposed along said first end of said flexible wall such that an interface is formed between said outer surface of said flexible wall and said second surface of said lateral support element, said interface operative to generate a lateral spring-rate profile that varies according to lateral displacement of said flexible wall and said lateral support element relative to one another, said second surface of said lateral support element having a reference plane disposed transverse to said longitudinal axis and including a cross-sectional profile extending from an inner profile endpoint to an outer profile endpoint, said cross-sectional profile including:
a first profile segment extending radially-outward and substantially linearly from said inner profile endpoint at a first angle relative to said reference plane;
a second profile segment disposed radially outward of said first profile segment and extending radially-outward toward said outer profile endpoint, said second profile segment having a concave shape facing toward said second end of said flexible wall;
a third profile segment disposed radially outward of said second profile segment and extending radially-outward toward said outer profile endpoint, said third profile segment having a convex shape facing toward said second end of said flexible wall; and,
a fourth profile segment disposed radially outward of said third profile segment, said fourth profile segment extending radially-outward and substantially linearly from adjacent said third profile segment at a second angle relative to said reference plane.

2. A gas spring assembly according to claim 1 , wherein said gas spring assembly is laterally displaceable between a neutral position and a laterally-offset position such that in said neutral position said second end of said flexible wall and said lateral support element are disposed approximately coaxial alignment with one another and in said laterally-offset position said second end of said flexible wall and said lateral support element are disposed in laterally-spaced apart relation to one another.

3. A gas spring assembly according to claim 2 , wherein a portion of said outer surface of said flexible wall is disposed in abutting engagement with an annular area of said second surface of said lateral support element in said neutral position.

4. A gas spring assembly according to claim 2 , wherein at least a portion of said outer surface of said flexible wall is disposed in spaced relation to said second surface of said lateral support element in said neutral position.

5. A gas spring assembly according to claim 2 , wherein a portion of an annular area of said outer surface of said flexible wall is disposed in abutting engagement with a portion of an annular area of said second surface of said lateral support element and the remaining portion of said annular area of said outer surface of said flexible wall is disposed in spaced relation to the remaining portion of said annular area of said second surface of said lateral support element in said laterally-offset position.

6. A gas spring assembly according to claim 1 , wherein a friction-reducing material is disposed along said interface between at least a portion of said flexible wall and said lateral support element.

7. A gas spring assembly according to claim 6 , wherein said outer surface of said flexible wall and said second surface of said lateral support element have a first coefficient of friction therebetween and said friction-reducing material generates an area along said interface having a second coefficient of friction that is less than said first coefficient of friction.

8. A gas spring assembly according to claim 7 , wherein said friction-reducing material includes at least one of a quantity of free material applied to at least one of said flexible wall and said lateral support element, a surface treatment applied to at least one of said flexible wall and said lateral support element, and a friction-reducing component secured to one of said flexible wall and said lateral support element.

9. A gas spring assembly according to claim 8 , wherein said friction-reducing material includes a quantity of free material in the form of at least one of a liquid, a semi-solid and a solid lubricant.

10. A gas spring assembly according to claim 8 , wherein said friction-reducing material includes a surface treatment that includes at least one of a polymeric coating and a nearly-frictionless-carbon coating applied to at least a portion of at least one surface of at least one of said flexible wall and said lateral support element.

11. A gas spring assembly according to claim 8 , wherein said friction-reducing material includes a friction-reducing component secured to said second surface of said lateral support element, said friction-reducing component being at least partially formed from one or more of a polymeric material and nearly frictionless carbon (NFC) coating disposed along a substrate.

12. A gas spring assembly according to claim 1 further comprising:
a first end member secured across said first end of said flexible wall and operatively associated with said lateral support element; and,
a second end member secured across said second end of said flexible wall such that said spring chamber is at least partially defined by said flexible wall between said first and second end members.

13. A gas spring assembly according to claim 12 , wherein at least a portion of said first end of said flexible wall is disposed between said first end member and said lateral support element to at least partially secure said flexible wall on said first end member.

14. A gas spring assembly comprising:
a flexible wall having a longitudinal axis and extending peripherally about said longitudinal axis between a first end and a second end spaced longitudinally from said first end, said flexible wall including an inner surface and an outer surface with said inner surface at least partially defining a spring chamber;
a first end member secured across said first end of said flexible wall;
a second end member secured across said second end of said flexible wall such that said spring chamber is at least partially defined by said flexible wall between said first and second end members; and,
a lateral support element disposed along and operatively associated with said first end member and said first end of said flexible wall, said lateral support element including an element wall with a first surface facing away from said flexible wall and a second surface facing toward said flexible wall such that an interface is formed between said outer surface of said flexible wall and said second surface of said lateral support element that is operative to generate a lateral spring-rate profile that varies according to lateral displacement of said flexible wall and said lateral support element relative to one another by including one of:
a friction-reducing material is disposed along said interface between at least a portion of said flexible wall and said lateral support element; and,
a cross-sectional profile

Assignees

• Firestone Ind Products Co Llc

Inventors

• Street Stephen C
• Moulik Pradipta N

Classifications

• F16F9/0454 Primary

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

• B60G11/27

  wherein the fluid is a gas · CPC title

• F16F9/05

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

• F16F9/3278

  for lubrication (lubricating per se F16N) · CPC title

• B60G2202/152

  Pneumatic spring · CPC title