Gas spring assembly for a vehicle suspension

A vehicle suspension system, comprising:

• a pump;
• and
• a gas spring, comprising:
• a cylinder;
• a rod coupled to the cylinder and moveable relative to the cylinder;
• a chamber for supporting gas formed between the cylinder and the rod, wherein movement of the rod relative to the cylinder changes the volume of the chamber;
• and
• an accumulator coupled to the chamber for receiving, storing, and releasing potential energy from gas of the chamber, wherein the accumulator comprises:
• an auxiliary cylinder having an auxiliary chamber formed therein;
• and
• a piston assembly movable within the auxiliary cylinder to change the volume of the auxiliary chamber, wherein the piston assembly is biased to an initial position within the auxiliary cylinder that corresponds to an initial volume of the auxiliary chamber;
• wherein when loading of the vehicle suspension system exceeds the threshold load, gas is received by the accumulator and the piston assembly is moved to increase the volume of the auxiliary chamber;
• wherein the accumulator and the chamber of the gas spring are in gaseous communication such that a continuous body of gas extends between the chamber and the accumulator when the accumulator is receiving or releasing the potential energy;
• wherein compression of gas in the chamber at least partially provides a first spring rate in response to loading of the vehicle suspension system below a threshold load, and wherein compression of gas in the accumulator at least partially provides a second spring rate in response to loading of the vehicle suspension system above the threshold load;
• wherein the first spring rate is greater than the second spring rate.

An accumulator comprising:

• a body comprising:
• a first chamber;
• an inlet coupled to the first chamber for receiving a gas therein;
• and
• a second chamber, the second chamber having a greater cross-section that the first chamber;
• and
• a piston assembly located within the body, separating the first and second chambers, wherein the piston assembly comprises a first face corresponding to the first chamber and a second face corresponding to the second chamber, and wherein translation of the piston assembly within the body changes the volume of the first chamber and second chambers,
• wherein at equilibrium the piston assembly is biased by gas in the second chamber to a position within the body corresponding to an initial volume of the first chamber;
• and
• wherein when the accumulator receives pressurized gas through the inlet, sufficient to overcome the bias to the piston assembly, the piston assembly is moved, increasing the volume of the first chamber and compressing the gas in the second chamber.