Back to results
US 10,543,729 B2Granted
End mount assemblies as well as gas spring and damper assemblies including same
AssigneeFirestone Industrial Products Company, LLC
InventorJoshua R. Leonard
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
End mount assemblies include a mounting bracket dimensioned for securement to an end member of a gas spring and damper assembly. The end mount assembly can include an inner mounting element dimensioned for securement to an elongated damping rod of the gas spring and damper assembly. A first plurality of bushing elements can be operatively disposed between the inner mounting element and the mounting bracket. A second plurality of bushing elements can be operatively disposed between the inner mounting element and the end member. Gas spring and a damper assemblies including such an end mount assembly as well as suspension systems and methods of assembly are also included.
Claims20
A gas spring and damper assembly comprising:
- a gas spring including:
- a flexible spring member having a longitudinal axis and including a flexible wall extending longitudinally between first and second ends and peripherally about said axis to at least partially define a spring chamber;
- a first end member operatively secured to said first end of said flexible spring member such that a substantially fluid-tight seal is formed therebetween;
- and
- a second end member disposed in spaced relation to said first end member and operatively secured to said second end of said flexible spring member such that a substantially fluid-tight seal is formed therebetween;
- a damper assembly operative to dissipate kinetic energy acting on said gas spring, said damper assembly including a damper housing operatively connected to said second end member and a damper rod assembly operatively engaged with said damper housing for reciprocal motion relative thereto, said damper rod assembly including an elongated damper rod;
- and,
- an end mount assembly operatively connecting said elongated damper rod and said first end member and permitting said first and second end members to move at least one of laterally and angularly with respect to one another during extension and compression of said gas spring and damper assembly, said end mount assembly including an inner mounting element that includes a mounting element wall with a connector portion dimensioned for operative securement to said elongated damper rod, a flange portion extending radially outward from along said connector portion, and a first plurality of recesses extending into said flange portion of said mounting element wall in a first axial direction.
5 more elements
A gas spring and damper assembly comprising:
- a gas spring including:
- a flexible spring member having a longitudinal axis and including a flexible wall extending longitudinally between first and second ends and peripherally about said axis to at least partially define a spring chamber;
- a first end member operatively secured to said first end of said flexible spring member such that a substantially fluid-tight seal is formed therebetween;
- and,
- a second end member disposed in spaced relation to said first end member and operatively secured to said second end of said flexible spring member such that a substantially fluid-tight seal is formed therebetween;
- a damper assembly operative to dissipate kinetic energy acting on said gas spring, said damper assembly including a damper housing operatively connected to said second end member and a damper rod assembly operatively engaged with said damper housing for reciprocal motion relative thereto, said damper rod assembly including an elongated damper rod;
- and,
- an end mount assembly operatively connecting said elongated damper rod and said first end member and permitting said first and second end members to move at least one of laterally and angularly with respect to one another during extension and compression of said gas spring and damper assembly with said end mount assembly including a first plurality of bushing elements disposed in peripherally-spaced relation to one another about said longitudinal axis.
5 more elements
A gas spring and damper assembly comprising:
- a gas spring including:
- a flexible spring member having a longitudinal axis and including a flexible wall extending longitudinally between first and second ends and peripherally about said axis to at least partially define a spring chamber;
- a first end member operatively secured to said first end of said flexible spring member such that a substantially fluid-tight seal is formed therebetween;
- and
- a second end member disposed in spaced relation to said first end member and operatively secured to said second end of said flexible spring member such that a substantially fluid-tight seal is formed therebetween;
- a damper assembly operative to dissipate kinetic energy acting on said gas spring, said damper assembly including a damper housing operatively connected to said second end member and a damper rod assembly operatively engaged with said damper housing for reciprocal motion relative thereto, said damper rod assembly including an elongated damper rod;
- and,
- an end mount assembly operatively connecting said elongated damper rod and said first end member and permitting said first and second end members to move at least one of laterally and angularly with respect to one another during extension and compression of said gas spring and damper assembly, said end mount assembly including:
- a mounting bracket secured to said first end member, said mounting bracket including a bracket wall including a mounting wall portion, an end wall portion offset from said mounting wall portion and a side wall portion extending between and operatively connecting said mounting wall portion and said end wall portion, said bracket wall at least partially defining a mounting cavity that is at least partially formed by said end wall portion and said side wall portion;
- an inner mounting element at least partially disposed within said mounting cavity, said inner mounting element including a mounting element wall that includes a connector portion dimensioned for operative securement to said elongated damper rod and a flange portion extending radially outward from along said connector portion, said flange portion having a first side disposed toward said end wall portion of said bracket wall and a second side facing toward said first end member;
- a first plurality of bushing elements disposed in peripherally-spaced relation to one another along said first side of said flange portion;
- and,
- a second plurality of bushing elements disposed in peripherally-spaced relation to one another along said second side of said flange portion.
10 more elements
An end mount assembly dimensioned to operatively secure an associated damping rod to an associated end member of an associated gas spring and damper assembly, said end mount assembly comprising:
- a mounting bracket dimensioned for securement to the associated end member, said mounting bracket including a bracket wall including a mounting wall portion, an end wall portion offset from said mounting wall portion and a side wall portion extending between and operatively connecting said mounting wall portion and said end wall portion, said bracket wall at least partially defining a mounting cavity that is at least partially formed by said end wall portion and said side wall portion;
- an inner mounting element at least partially disposed within said mounting cavity, said inner mounting element including a mounting element wall that includes a connector portion dimensioned for operative securement to the associated damping rod and a flange portion extending radially outward from along said connector portion, said flange portion having a first side disposed toward said end wall portion of said bracket wall and a second side facing toward said first end member;
- a first plurality of bushing elements disposed in peripherally-spaced relation to one another along said first side of said flange portion;
- and,
- a second plurality of bushing elements disposed in peripherally-spaced relation to one another along said second side of said flange portion.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.