Vibration damper and pneumatic suspension system

A pneumatic spring and shock absorber assembly for a motor vehicle, said assembly comprising:

• a shock absorber defining a longitudinal axis and an axial direction parallel to the longitudinal axis, said shock absorber comprising:
• at least a first container tube, said at least a first container tube defining a chamber therein, said chamber comprising damping medium therein, and said at least a first container tube having a first end portion, a second end portion opposite said first end portion and a length between said first and second end portions;
• a piston rod projecting into said at least a first container tube through said first end portion of said at least a first container tube, said piston rod having a first end portion within said at least a first container tube and a second end portion opposite to said first end portion and extending out of said at least a first container tube, said first end portion comprising a first axial end of said piston rod, said second end portion comprising a second axial end of said piston rod, and said piston rod being axially displaceable with respect to said at least a first container tube in the axial direction;
• piston means disposed adjacent said first axial end of said piston rod for dividing said chamber into first and second chamber portions;
• and
• means for permitting flow of damping medium between said first and second chamber portions;
• a pneumatic spring for applying a substantially axially directed force between said piston rod and said at least a first container tube, said pneumatic spring comprising bellows means disposed about said second end portion of said piston rod for containing air under pressure, said bellows means comprising a first end fixedly disposed at said second axial end of said piston rod, and a second end fixedly disposed at said first end portion of said at least a first container tube;
• valve means for admitting air under pressure into said bellows means and for permitting air to escape out of said bellows means;
• said pneumatic spring further comprising actuator means for operating said valve means to open and close said valve means to permit air into and permit air to escape from said bellow means;
• said bellows means defining an interior chamber disposed about said piston rod;
• said actuator means being disposed within said interior chamber of said bellows means;
• said actuator means comprising means for determining a relative positioning between said piston rod and said at least a first container tube;
• said means for determining comprising at least a first portion movable along with one of:
• said second axial end of said piston rod and said at least a first container tube, and moveable with respect to the other of:
• said second axial end of said piston rod and said at least a first container tube to determine a relative positioning between said piston rod and said at least a first container tube;
• said valve means comprising means for interacting with said at least a first portion of said means for determining to open and close said valve means as a function of the relative positioning between said piston rod and said at least a first container tube;
• said actuator means comprising an actuator rod disposed parallel to the longitudinal axis of said shock absorber;
• said actuator rod comprising said first portion of said means for determining, and said actuator rod further being disposed to move with one of:
• said second axial end of said piston rod and said at least a first container tube;
• said pneumatic spring comprising said valve means;
• said valve means comprising a first portion for admitting air under pressure into said interior chamber of said bellows means, and a second portion for releasing air out of said interior chamber of said bellows means;
• said pneumatic spring further comprising a turret tube disposed about said at least a first container tube, said turret tube comprising means for sealing said turret tube to said at least a first container tube;
• said bellows means comprising a wall portion disposed between said first and second ends thereof;
• said first end of said bellows means being rolled under and disposed radially inwardly of said wall means;
• said turret tube having an exterior surface, said exterior surface being configured for permitting said bellows means to roll thereon;
• and
• at least said first portion of said valve means being disposed in said turret tube.