Back to results
US 10,962,078 B2Granted
End member and gas spring assembly including same
AssigneeFirestone Industrial Products Company, LLC
InventorBrian S. DeBruler
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An end member is dimensioned to engage an end of a flexible spring member to at least partially form a gas spring assembly. The end member includes an end member wall that has a longitudinal axis. The end member includes a securement wall portion having an outer surface with a surface profile dimensioned to abuttingly engage the end of the flexible spring member. The surface profile includes a plurality of concave profile sections and a plurality of convex profile sections that are dimensioned to generate a progressively increasing compression force along at least a section of the securement wall portion. A gas spring assembly including such an end member is included. A suspension system including one or more gas spring assemblies and a method of assembly are also included.
Claims20
An end member dimensioned to engage an associated flexible spring member of an associated gas spring assembly, said end member comprising:
- an end member wall having a longitudinal axis and including an end wall portion and a securement wall portion;
- said end wall portion extending transverse to said axis and including an outer surface dimensioned to abuttingly engage an associated structural component;
- and,
- said securement wall portion extending longitudinally from along said end wall portion, said securement wall portion disposed radially outward of said axis such that at least a portion of said outer surface of said end wall portion is disposed radially inward of said securement wall portion, and said securement wall portion including an outer peripheral extent with first, second and third grooves extending radially inward into said securement wall portion from along said outer peripheral extent with first and second ridges formed along said securement wall portion between said first and third grooves, said first groove extending radially into said securement wall portion a first groove depth, said third groove extending radially into said securement wall portion a third groove depth that is less than said first groove depth, and said second groove extending radially into said securement wall portion a second groove depth that is less than said first groove depth and greater than said third groove depth such that said first, second and third grooves are capable of generating a variable-compression wedge effect during abutting engagement with the associated flexible spring member.
1 more element
An end member dimensioned to engage an associated flexible spring member of an associated gas spring assembly, said end member comprising:
- an end member wall having a longitudinal axis and including an end wall portion and a securement wall portion;
- said end wall portion extending transverse to said axis and including an outer surface dimensioned to abuttingly engage an associated structural component;
- and,
- said securement wall portion extending axially from along said end wall portion and disposed radially outward of said axis such that at least a portion of said outer surface of said end wall portion is disposed radially inward of said securement wall portion, said securement wall portion having a longitudinal length, and said securement wall portion including an outer surface dimensioned to abuttingly engage the associated flexible spring member, said securement wall portion including a cross-sectional profile with at least first, second and third concave profile sections and at least first and second convex profile sections interposed between said first and third concave profile sections, said first concave profile having a first root diameter between diametrically-opposed first root points, said third concave profile section having a third root diameter between diametrically-opposed third root points with said third root diameter being greater than said first root diameter, and said second concave profile section having a second root diameter between diametrically-opposed second root points with said second root diameter being greater than said first root diameter and less than said third root diameter such that a reference line extending through one of said first, second and third root points and a different one of said first, second and third root points along a common side of said longitudinal axis is disposed at an acute angle relative to said longitudinal axis.
1 more element
An end member dimensioned to engage an associated flexible spring member of an associated gas spring assembly, said end member comprising:
- an end member wall having a longitudinal axis and including an end wall portion and a securement wall portion;
- said end wall portion extending transverse to said axis and including an outer surface dimensioned to abuttingly engage an associated structural component;
- and,
- said securement wall portion extending axially from along said end wall portion and disposed radially outward of said axis such that at least a portion of said outer surface of said end wall portion is disposed radially inward of said securement wall portion, said securement wall portion having a longitudinal length, and said securement wall portion including an outer surface with a surface profile dimensioned to abuttingly engage the associated flexible spring member, said surface profile including at least first, second and third concave profile sections with at least first and second convex profile sections interposed between said first and third concave profile sections;
- said first concave profile having a first root diameter between diametrically-opposed first root points;
- said third concave profile section having a third root diameter between diametrically-opposed third root points with said third root diameter being greater than said first root diameter;
- said second concave profile section having a second root diameter between diametrically-opposed second root points with said second root diameter being greater than said first root diameter and less than said third root diameter;
- with a reference line extending through one of said first, second and third root points and a different one of said first, second and third root points along a common side of said longitudinal axis disposed at an acute angle relative to said longitudinal axis;
- and,
- with:
- said concave profile sections each having a height with said heights decreasing progressively along said longitudinal length from at least said first concave profile to said third concave profile;
- and/or,
- said convex profile sections each having a height with said heights increasing progressively along said longitudinal length from at least said first convex profile to said second concave profile.
10 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.