Clamp ring assembly for air spring

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) generally radially extending groove means being formed in the said one end member for trapping a compressed end of the flexible sleeve therein.

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 shoulder;
• (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 shoulder and extending radially outwardly at distance less then 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 shoulder 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.

A fluid pressure device including a pair of spaced end members and an intervening flexible sleeve of elastomeric material having open ends sealingly clamped against sealing surfaces formed on each of said end members providing a fluid pressure chamber therebetween;

• a radially extending annular shoulder formed on at least one of said end members adjacent the sealing surface thereof and terminating in a generally axially extending outer surface of said one end member;
• an annular clamp ring sealingly clamping one end of the flexible sleeve against the sealing surface of one of the members and abutting the annular shoulder to restrict axial movement of said ring in one direction during operation of the device;
• and annular projection means formed on the sealing surface of said one end member for cooperation with annular groove means formed on the clamp ring for positionally locating the clamp ring on the annular shoulder of the said one end member, said end members being an end cap and a piston member of an air spring with the projection means being a radially outwardly extending annular convex projection formed on the sealing surface of the piston member and the clamp ring having an axially extending inner clamping surface with the groove means being a concave recess formed in said axially extending inner clamping surface, wherein said concave recess cooperates with the convex annular projection of the sealing surface to positionally locate said ring with respect to the annular shoulder and outer axial surface of said end member.