US 6,250,613 B1Granted

Non-metallic spacer for air spring assembly

AssigneeBridgestone/Firestone, Inc.

InventorsPaul P. Koeske, Mohamad Taghizadeh, Pradipta N. Moulik, Todd M. Ziems, Andreas Peickert

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Abstract

A spacer for an air spring assembly includes a substantially cylindrical body having a substantially planar mounting surface. The body includes a central hub, an outer rim, and a plurality of structural arms connecting the outer rim to the central hub. The central hub includes a pair of concentric hub walls with a plurality of spoke ribs disposed between the hub walls. The outer rim includes an annular groove in its upper surface as well as a plurality of support ribs. Each of the structural arms has a T-shaped cross section. The spacer has five bolt holes that are configured to work with a single center mount, two point, three point, or a four point mounting pattern. The spacer is fabricated from a non-metallic material such as a high strength, lightweight plastic or fiber reinforced plastic.

Claims26

Dependent claims

In combination, an air spring having a pair of end members and a spacer adapted to mount the air spring between spaced apart structures, at least one of said structures being movable, said combination comprising:

a flexible sleeve extending between and sealingly connected to said end members and forming a fluid chamber therebetween for containing a pressurized fluid;
said spacer being formed as a rigid one piece non metallic member having a generally cylindrical body with spaced substantially planar end mounting surfaces, one end member of said air spring being mounted on one of said planar end mounting surfaces of said spacer with the other of said planar end mounting surfaces being adapted to be mounted on one of the structures;
said spacer having a central hub, an outer rim and a plurality of structural arms connecting the outer rim to the central hub, each of the structural arms having a T-shaped cross section with a substantially vertical leg and a substantially horizontal top wall and having a height substantially equal to an axial height of the cylindrical body;
and
at least one mounting hole formed in each of the said spacer and said one end member, said holes being aligned with each other for receiving at least one common fastener for mounting the spacer and air spring on said one of the structures.

2 more elements

In combination, an air spring having a pair of end members and a spacer adapted to mount the air spring having a pair of end members and a spacer adapted to mount the air spring between spaced apart structures, at least one of said structures being movable, said combination comprising:

a flexible sleeve extending between and sealingly connected to said end members and forming a fluid chamber therebetween for containing a pressurized fluid;
said spacer being formed as a rigid one piece non metallic member having a generally cylindrical body with spaced substantially planar end mounting surfaces, one end member of said air spring being mounted on one of said planar end mounting surfaces of said spacer with the other of said planar end mounting surfaces being adapted to be mounted on one of the structures;
said spacer having a central hub, an outer rim and a plurality of structural arms connecting the outer rim to the central hub, said central hub having a top wall and a pair of spaced concentric hub walls connected to the top wall and a plurality of spoke ribs disposed between the concentric hub walls;
and
at least one mounting hole formed in each of the said spacer and said one end member, said holes being aligned with each other for receiving at least one common fastener for mounting the spacer and air spring on said one of the structures.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.