# US 11,993,116 B2 · Air-suspension module for a rigid axle with simplified installation > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,993,116 B2 - Document ID: US11993116B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/900,906 - Filed: 2022-09-01 - Published: 2023-03-09 - Granted: 2024-05-28 - Earliest claimed: 2021-09-03 - Assignees: Jost-Werke Deutschland GmbH - Applicants: JOST-Werke Deutschland GmbH - Inventors: Alexander Ens; Christof Germershausen; Tobias Neutze - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11993116B2 ## CPC - B60G 7/001: {Suspension arms, e.g. constructional features (B60G7/006 takes precedence)} - B60G 11/28: characterised by means specially adapted for attaching the spring to axle or sprung part of the vehicle - B60G 9/003: {the axle being rigidly connected to a trailing guiding device} - F16F 9/0454: {characterised by the assembling method or by the mounting arrangement, e.g. mounting of the membrane (F16F9/0409, F16F9/0445 take precedence)} - F16F 9/057: {characterised by the piston} - F16F 9/54: Arrangements for attachment {(grommet-type rubber mounting springs per se F16F1/3732; construction of cylinder ends F16F9/3242; attachments to vehicles B60G13/001, B60G15/00)} - B60G 2200/13: with longitudinal arms only - B60G 2202/152: Pneumatic spring - B60G 2204/126: Mounting of pneumatic springs - B60G 2204/44: Centering or positioning means - B60G 2204/4604: mechanically, e.g. using a hook as anticreep mechanism - B60G 2206/424: Plunger or top retainer construction for bellows or rolling lobe type air springs - B60G 2206/82: Joining - B60G 2206/91: Assembly procedures - B60G 2300/02: Trucks; Load vehicles - F16F 2226/044: Snapping - B60G: VEHICLE SUSPENSION ARRANGEMENTS (air-cushion vehicles B60V; {cycle suspensions B62K25/00}) - F16F: SPRINGS; SHOCK-ABSORBERS; MEANS FOR DAMPING VIBRATION ## Abstract An air-suspension module for a rigid axle including an air-bellows mount and an air-bellows module supported on the air-bellows mount in the operational state of the air-suspension module, the air-bellows module having an air-suspension bellows designed to change its shape and a supporting body connected to the air-suspension bellows, one of the components of the air-bellows mount and the supporting body having a coupling projection protruding along a virtual projection path, which engages with a coupling recess formed at the respectively other component along the projection path, a translatory relative movement of the supporting body being physically limited relative to the air-bellows mount, orthogonally with respect to the projection path and in a direction along the projection path; one of the components of the air-bellows mount and the supporting body having a latching body and the respectively other component of the air-bellows mount and the supporting body having a latching recess such that the latching body is in a form-locking latching engagement with the latching recess, so that a translatory relative movement of the supporting body relative to the air-bellows mount is physically limited in the two opposite directions along the projection path. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An air-suspension module for a rigid axle of a commercial motor vehicle, comprising an air-bellows mount and an air-bellows module supported on the air-bellows mount in the operational state of the air-suspension module, the air-bellows module having an air-suspension bellows designed to change its shape and a supporting body connected to the air-suspension bellows, one of the components of the air-bellows mount and the supporting body having a coupling projection protruding along a virtual projection path, which in the operational state of the air-suspension module engages with a coupling recess formed on the respectively other component of the air-bellows mount and the supporting body along the projection path, a translatory relative movement of the supporting body, in the operational state of the air-suspension module, being physically limited relative to the air-bellows mount, orthogonally with respect to the projection path and in a direction along the projection path, wherein one of the components of the air-bellows mount and the supporting body has a latching body and the respectively other component of the air-bellows mount and the supporting body has a latching recess such that in the operational state of the air-suspension module the latching body is in a form-locking latching engagement with the latching recess, so that a translatory relative movement of the supporting body relative to the air-bellows mount is physically limited in the two opposite directions along the projection path wherein at least prior to an insertion of the coupling projection into the coupling recess and thus prior to establishing the latching engagement, at least an engagement section of the latching body, designed for the direct form-locking engagement with the latching recess, is preloaded towards its engagement position and is displaceable from the engagement position against this preload, wherein the engagement section is preloaded by a spring towards the engagement position, wherein the latching body is the spring and the engagement section is a section of the spring, and wherein the spring is a bow spring having two spring legs situated opposite each other across a spring gap and connected to each other by a spring bow, at least one engagement section being formed on each of the spring legs. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The air-suspension module as recited in claim 1, wherein the latching engagement is an insuperable latching engagement. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The air-suspension module as recited in claim 2, wherein at least prior to an insertion of the coupling projection into the coupling recess and thus prior to establishing the latching engagement, at least an engagement section of the latching body, designed for the direct form-locking engagement with the latching recess, is preloaded towards its engagement position and is displaceable from the engagement position against this preload. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The air-suspension module as recited in claim 1, wherein the spring is a bow spring having two spring legs situated opposite each other across a spring gap and connected to each other by a spring bow, at least one engagement section being formed on each of the spring legs. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The air-suspension module as recited in claim 1, wherein the coupling projection is tapered along the projection path in the direction away from its supporting structure and/or the coupling recess widens in the direction toward an insertion opening, through which the coupling projection engages into the coupling recess in the operational state of the air-suspension module. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The air-suspension module as recited in claim 1, wherein the coupling projection is formed on the air-bellows mount and the coupling recess is formed on the supporting body. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The air-suspension module as recited in claim 1, wherein the latching body is formed on the supporting body and the latching recess is formed on the coupling projection. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The air-suspension module as recited in claim 1, wherein the supporting body has an inner body section including the coupling recess and an outer body section surrounding the inner body section. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The air-suspension module as recited in claim 8, wherein the inner body section and/or the outer body section are sleeve sections. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The air-suspension module as recited in claim 1, wherein the latching body and the latching recess are surrounded by a section of the supporting body in the operational state of the air-suspension module. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The air-suspension module as recited in claim 1, wherein the latching body is removable from the rest of the air-suspension module. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The air-suspension module as recited in claim 11, wherein the latching body is a bow spring having two spring legs situated opposite each other across a spring gap and connected to each other by a spring bow, at least one engagement section being formed on each of the spring legs, and wherein the bow spring as the latching body is withdrawable in a direction crosswise with respect to the projection path both from the coupling recess as well as from the coupling projection engaging in the coupling recess. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) A rigid axle for a commercial vehicle, comprising an axle body extending along an axle direction and having at least one air-suspension module as recited in claim 1, at least one air-bellows mount protruding from the axle body crosswise with respect to the axle direction. ### Claim 14 An air-suspension module for a rigid axle of a commercial motor vehicle, comprising an air-bellows mount and an air-bellows module supported on the air-bellows mount in the operational state of the air-suspension module, the air-bellows module having an air-suspension bellows designed to change its shape and a supporting body connected to the air-suspension bellows, one of the components of the air-bellows mount and the supporting body having a coupling projection protruding along a virtual projection path, which in the operational state of the air-suspension module engages with a coupling recess formed on the respectively other component of the air-bellows mount and the supporting body along the projection path, a translatory relative movement of the supporting body, in the operational state of the air-suspension module, being physically limited relative to the air-bellows mount, orthogonally with respect to the projection path and in a direction along the projection path, wherein one of the components of the air-bellows mount and the supporting body has a latching body and the respectively other component of the air-bellows mount and the supporting body has a latching recess such that in the operational state of the air-suspension module the latching body is in a form-locking latching engagement with the latching recess, so that a translatory relative movement of the supporting body relative to the air-bellows mount is physically limited in the two opposite directions along the projection path, wherein the coupling projection is tapered along the projection path in the direction away from its supporting structure and/or the coupling recess widens in the direction toward an insertion opening, through which the coupling projection engages into the coupling recess in the operational state of the air-suspension module. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The air-suspension module as recited in claim 14, wherein the coupling projection is formed on the air-bellows mount and the coupling recess is formed on the supporting body. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The air-suspension module as recited in claim 14, wherein the latching body is formed on the supporting body and the latching recess is formed on the coupling projection. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) The air-suspension module as recited in claim 14, wherein the supporting body has an inner body section including the coupling recess and an outer body section surrounding the inner body section. ### Claim 18 An air-suspension module for a rigid axle of a commercial motor vehicle, comprising an air-bellows mount and an air-bellows module supported on the air-bellows mount in the operational state of the air-suspension module, the air-bellows module having an air-suspension bellows designed to change its shape and a supporting body connected to the air-suspension bellows, one of the components of the air-bellows mount and the supporting body having a coupling projection protruding along a virtual projection path, which in the operational state of the air-suspension module engages with a coupling recess formed on the respectively other component of the air-bellows mount and the supporting body along the projection path, a translatory relative movement of the supporting body, in the operational state of the air-suspension module, being physically limited relative to the air-bellows mount, orthogonally with respect to the projection path and in a direction along the projection path, wherein one of the components of the air-bellows mount and the supporting body has a latching body and the respectively other component of the air-bellows mount and the supporting body has a latching recess such that in the operational state of the air-suspension module the latching body is in a form-locking latching engagement with the latching recess, so that a translatory relative movement of the supporting body relative to the air-bellows mount is physically limited in the two opposite directions along the projection path, wherein the latching body is removable from the rest of the air-suspension module, wherein the latching body is a bow spring having two spring legs situated opposite each other across a spring gap and connected to each other by a spring bow, at least one engagement section being formed on each of the spring legs, and wherein the bow spring as the latching body is withdrawable in a direction crosswise with respect to the projection path both from the coupling recess as well as from the coupling projection engaging in the coupling recess. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The air-suspension module as recited in claim 18, wherein the coupling projection is tapered along the projection path in the direction away from its supporting structure and/or the coupling recess widens in the direction toward an insertion opening, through which the coupling projection engages into the coupling recess in the operational state of the air-suspension module.