Systems and methods of manufacturing flexible spring members for gas spring assemblies

A system for manufacturing a flexible spring member dimensioned for forming an associated gas spring assembly, said system comprising:

• a creel assembly supporting a plurality of spools containing at least one cord having an indeterminate length such that a plurality of cords are supported on said creel assembly;
• a tensioner assembly spaced apart from said creel assembly and operative to tension approximately equal predetermined lengths of said plurality of cords received from said creel assembly;
• a building mandrel disposed in spaced relation to said tensioner assembly, said building mandrel supported for rotation about a longitudinal axis and translation along said longitudinal axis;
• a cord path arrangement in which said plurality of cords are separated after said tensioner assembly into at least three groupings of cords having an approximately equal number of individual cords with at least two of said three groupings of cords separated from one another such that a clearance window providing access to said building mandrel is accessible therethrough;
• and,
• a head assembly supported in a substantially fixed longitudinal position, said head assembly including an opening extending therethrough and positioned co-axially relative to said building mandrel such that said building mandrel passes through said opening in said head assembly during translation along said longitudinal axis, said head assembly operative to position and redirect said plurality of cords onto said building mandrel during translation and rotation thereof relative to said head assembly.

A method of manufacturing a flexible spring member dimensioned for use in forming a gas spring assembly, said method comprising:

• providing a plurality of cords having an indeterminate length;
• tensioning approximately equal predetermined lengths of said plurality of cords;
• directing said plurality of cords in a radially inward direction through a head assembly that is disposed in a fixed position;
• securing a first end of said plurality of cords along a building mandrel that is rotatable about a longitudinal axis and translatable through said head assembly along said longitudinal axis;
• applying a first layer of elastomeric material along said building mandrel;
• and,
• rotating said building mandrel in a first rotational direction about said longitudinal axis and translating said building mandrel along said longitudinal axis in a first translational direction relative to said head assembly to tow at least a portion of said predetermined lengths of said plurality of cords through said head assembly and wrap at least said portion of said predetermined lengths of said plurality of cords along said first layer of elastomeric material to form a first reinforcing layer.