US 4,852,861 AGranted

End cap assembly for air spring

AssigneeThe Firestone Tire & Rubber Company

InventorRobert S. Harris

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Abstract

An air spring is formed by an axially spaced end cap and a piston member and has an intervening elastomeric flexible sleeve extending therebetween which forms a fluid pressure chamber. An annular clamp ring having a recess on the inner diameter thereof coacts with a corresponding annular projection formed on the end cap to positionally locate the ring on the end cap. A pair of clamping surfaces are located on opposite sides of the projection and are separated therefrom by expansion grooves. The annular projection and clamping surfaces form a series of pinch areas with the intervening sleeve, which sealingly clamp the sleeve therebetween. The expansion grooves receive portions of the sleeve and change the direction of reinforcing cords within the sleeve. The clamp ring abuts against a radially extending surface of the end cap to reduce axial movement of the ring during operation of the air spring. An annular groove which is formed in the end cap traps and conceals the uncompressed end of the sleeve which extends beyond the clamp ring to increase the holding power of the clamp ring.

Claims17

Dependent claims

An improved air spring including:

(a) a pair of end members adapted to be mounted at generally axially spaced locations;
(b) a flexible sleeve formed of an elastomeric material containing reinforcing cords and having open ends sealingly engaged with the end members forming a pressurized fluid chamber therebetween:
(c) an annular axially extending sealing surface formed on at least one of said end members said sealing surface being formed with a pair of axially spaced annular clamping surfaces and an intermediate annular projection extending radially outwardly beyond said clamping surfaces;
(d) a continuous clamp ring located concentrically with respect to the annular sealing surface for sealingly clamping one end of the flexible sleeve therebetween, said clamp ring having an axially extending inner clamping surface formed with a concave recess cooperating with the intermediate projection to positionally locate said ring with respect to said one end member, and with said projection and spaced clamping surfaces of the clamp ring providing a series of axially spaced pinch areas for clamping the flexible sleeve therebetween and for changing the direction of travel of the reinforcing cords in the clamped sleeve end;
and
(e) groove means being formed in the said one end member for trapping and concealing a substantially uncompressed end of the flexible sleeve therein, which end extends beyond the clamp ring.

3 more elements

An improved air spring including:

(a) a pair of end members adapted to be mounted at generally axially spaced locations, at least one of said end members being formed with a radially outwardly extending annular abutment surface;
(b) a flexible sleeve formed of an elastomeric material having open ends sealingly engaged with the end members forming a pressurized fluid chamber therebetween;
(c) an annular axially extending sealing surface formed on said one end member, said sealing surface having an annular projection spaced axially from the annular abutment surface and extending radially outwardly at distance less than said annular shoulder;
(d) a continuous clamp ring located concentrically with respect to the annular sealing surface for sealingly clamping one end of the flexible sleeve therebetween, said clamp ring abutting the annular abutment surface to restrict movement of said ring in an axial direction during operation of the air spring, said clamp ring having an axially extending inner clamping surface formed with a concave recess cooperating with the annular projection on the sealing surface to positionally locate said ring with respect to the annular shoulder and sealing surface of said one end member;
and
(e) an annular groove formed in said one end member adjacent the annular abutment surface for containing said one end of the flexible sleeve therein, which end extends beyond the clamp ring.

3 more elements

An improved air spring including:

(a) a piston member for mounting the air spring on a supporting structure, said piston member having a piston body formed with an annular axially extending sealing surface terminating in a radially outwardly extending shoulder, said sealing surface being formed with a radially outwardly extending intermediate annular projection and a pair of spaced radially extending annular end projections;
(b) a flexible sleeve formed of an elastomeric material having open ends sealingly engaged with the piston member and an end cap spaced axially from the piston member and forming a pressurized fluid chamber therebetween;
(c) a continuous annular clamp ring located concentrically about the annular sealing surface of the piston member and clamping one end of the flexible sleeve therebetween, said clamp ring having an axially extending inner clamping surface formed with a concave recess which radially aligns with the intermediate projection of the piston member and a pair of adjacent surfaces each of which aligns with a respective one of the piston member end projections for positionally locating the clamp ring with respect to the piston member and for forming a generally air-tight seal therebetween;
and
(d) axially extending groove means formed in the piston body for receiving an uncompressed end of the flexible sleeve which extends beyond the clamp ring.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.