Inertia-actuated valve assemblies as well as gas spring and gas damper assemblies, suspension systems and methods including same

A gas spring assembly comprising:

• a flexible spring member having a longitudinal axis and at least partially defining a spring chamber;
• an end member operatively secured across an end of said flexible spring member such that a substantially fluid-tight seal is formed therebetween, said end member including an end member wall that at least partially defines an end member chamber;
• and,
• an inertia-actuated valve assembly operatively disposed in fluid communication between said spring chamber and said end member chamber, said inertia-actuated valve assembly including:
• a valve housing wall portion extending peripherally about said longitudinal axis, said valve housing wall portion including a groove extending axially thereinto and at least one flow channel operatively connected in fluid communication with said groove, and said valve housing wall portion including an elongated damping passage extending therethrough in fluid communication with said spring chamber and said end member chamber separate from said at least one flow channel with said elongated damping passage is disposed radially inward of said groove and said at least one flow channel;
• a valve body extending peripherally about said axis and positioned within said groove of said valve housing wall portion such that said valve body and said valve housing wall portion are axially co-extensive along at least a portion thereof, said valve body axially displaceable between:
• a first position in which said valve body extends across said at least one flow channel to at least partially form a substantially fluid-tight seal thereacross with said elongated damping passage remaining in fluid communication between said spring chamber and said end member chamber;
• and,
• a second position in which said spring chamber and said end member chamber are disposed in fluid communication with one another with said elongated damping passage remaining in fluid communication between said spring chamber and said end member chamber;
• and,
• a biasing element operatively engaging at least said valve body and generating a biasing force operative to urge said valve body in a first axial direction toward said first position.

A gas spring assembly comprising:

• 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;
• 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, said second end member including an end member wall that at least partially defines an end member chamber;
• an inertia-actuated valve assembly operatively disposed in fluid communication between said spring chamber and said end member chamber, said inertia-actuated valve assembly including:
• a valve housing wall portion extending peripherally about said longitudinal axis, said valve housing wall portion including a groove extending axially thereinto and at least one flow channel operatively connected in fluid communication with said groove, said valve housing wall portion including an elongated damping passage extending therethrough in fluid communication with said spring chamber and said end member chamber separate from said at least one flow channel;
• a valve body extending peripherally about said axis and positioned within said groove of said valve housing wall portion such that said valve body and said valve housing wall portion are axially co-extensive along at least a portion thereof, said valve body axially displaceable between:
• a first position in which said valve body extends across said at least one flow channel to at least partially form a substantially fluid-tight seal thereacross with said elongated damping passage remaining in fluid communication between said spring chamber and said end member chamber;
• and,
• a second position in which said spring chamber and said end member chamber are disposed in fluid communication with one another through said at least one flow channel as well as through said elongated damping passage which remains in fluid communication between said spring chamber and said end member chamber and remains separate from said at least one flow channel;
• and,
• a biasing element operatively engaging at least said valve body and generating a biasing force operative to urge said valve body toward said first position;
• and,
• a damper piston assembly including a damper piston and an elongated damper rod operatively connected to said damper piston, said damper piston positioned within said end member chamber and separating said end member chamber into first and second chamber portions, said damper rod extending through said valve assembly housing wall portion such that said elongated damping passage is disposed radially outward of said damper rod and radially inward of said groove, said at least one flow channel and said valve body, said damper rod operatively connected to said first end member such that upon extension and compression of said gas spring assembly, said damper piston is reciprocally displaced within said end member chamber and pressurized gas damping is generated from at least pressurized gas transfer between said spring chamber and said end member chamber.