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US 10,119,590 B2Granted
End member assemblies as well as gas spring assemblies and suspension systems including same
AssigneeFirestone Industrial Products Company, LLC
InventorCorey S. Hart
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
End member assemblies are dimensioned for securement to an end of a flexible spring member for forming gas spring assemblies. An end member assembly can include an end member body and at least one connector fitting. The end member body includes a base section and a cap section that are secured together at a single flowed-material joint. The base section and the cap section together at least partially define a reservoir chamber within the end member body. The at least one connector fitting is at least partially embedded within the end member body. Gas spring assemblies including at least one end member assembly and suspension systems including at least one gas spring assembly are also included.
Claims20
An end member assembly dimensioned for securement to an end of an associated flexible spring member for forming an associated gas spring assembly, said end member assembly comprising:
- an end member body having a longitudinal axis and extending between a first end and a second end spaced longitudinally from said first end, said end member body including a base section and a cap section that are secured together at a single flowed-material joint, said base section and said cap section together at least partially defining a reservoir chamber within said end member body;
- and,
- at least one connector fitting partially embedded within one of said base section and said cap section of said end member body such that said at least one connector fitting is axially coextensive with at least a portion of said base section and at least a portion of said cap section, said at least one connector fitting forming a substantially fluid-tight joint with one of said base section and said cap section while having a clearance fit with the other of said base section and said cap section;
- said base section including a base section wall formed from a polymeric material, said base section wall including an end wall portion oriented transverse to said longitudinal axis and disposed toward said second end of said end member body, an outer side wall portion extending from an outer distal edge facing toward said first end of said end member body in a longitudinal direction toward said second end of said end member body, and an inner side wall portion extending longitudinally from along said end wall portion toward an inner distal edge facing toward said first end of said end member body;
- said cap section disposed toward said first end of said end member body relative to said base section, said cap section including a cap section wall formed from a polymeric material, said cap section wall including an end wall portion oriented transverse to said longitudinal axis, an outer side wall portion extending from an outer distal edge facing said second end of said end member body in a longitudinal direction toward said end wall portion, and a mounting wall portion disposed radially inward of said outer side wall portion and extending from said end wall portion in a longitudinal direction opposite said outer side wall portion and dimensioned to receivingly engage the end of the associated flexible wall;
- said base section and said cap section positioned relative to one another such that said single flowed-material joint is formed between said outer distal edge of said outer side wall portion of said base section wall and said outer distal edge of said outer side wall portion of said cap section wall with said end wall portion of said cap section wall detachably supported on said inner distal edge of said inner side wall portion of said base section wall.
3 more elements
A gas spring assembly comprising:
- a flexible spring member having a longitudinal axis and extending peripherally about said longitudinal axis between a first end and a second end to at least partially define a spring chamber;
- a first end member secured across said first end of said flexible spring member;
- and,
- a second end member secured across said second end of said flexible spring member such that said spring chamber is at least partially defined by said flexible spring member between said first and second end members, said second end member including:
- an end member body extending between a first end and a second end spaced longitudinally from said first end, said end member body including a base section and a cap section that are secured together at a single flowed-material joint, said base section and said cap section together at least partially defining a reservoir chamber within said end member body;
- and,
- at least one connector fitting partially embedded within one of said base section and said cap section of said end member body such that said at least one connector fitting is axially coextensive with at least a portion of said base section and at least a portion of said cap section, said at least one connector fitting forming a substantially fluid-tight joint with one of said base section and said cap section while having a clearance fit with the other of said base section and said cap section.
4 more elements
An end member dimensioned for securement to an associated flexible spring member, said end member comprising:
- an end member body having a longitudinal axis and extending between a first end and a second end spaced longitudinally from said first end, said end member body including a base section and a cap section that are secured together at a single flowed-material joint, said base section and said cap section together at least partially defining a reservoir chamber within said end member body;
- and,
- a connector fitting partially embedded within one of said base section and said cap section of said end member body such that said connector fitting is axially coextensive with at least a portion of said base section and at least a portion of said cap section, said connector fitting forming a substantially fluid-tight joint with one of said base section and said cap section while having a clearance fit with the other of said base section and said cap section.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.