초록 ▼

An air spring assembly, for use on an associated vehicle suspension system having a mounting member and a damping member, includes spaced apart first and second end members. A flexible wall is secured on the first and second end members and defines a spring chamber therebetween. An isolator is suppo

An air spring assembly, for use on an associated vehicle suspension system having a mounting member and a damping member, includes spaced apart first and second end members. A flexible wall is secured on the first and second end members and defines a spring chamber therebetween. An isolator is supported on and sealingly engages the first end member. The isolator includes and isolator passage sealingly receiving the damping member. The isolator and the first end member at least partially form a first load transmission path such that a damping member load is distributed to the mounting member through the isolator and the first end member. The first end member at least partially forms a second load transmission path such that an air spring load is distributed to the mounting member through the first end member without substantial transmission through the isolator.

대표청구항 ▼

The invention claimed is: 1. An air spring assembly for use on an associated vehicle suspension system that includes an associated rigid mounting structure and an associated damping member, said air spring assembly comprising: spaced apart first and second end members; a flexible wall secured on sa

The invention claimed is: 1. An air spring assembly for use on an associated vehicle suspension system that includes an associated rigid mounting structure and an associated damping member, said air spring assembly comprising: spaced apart first and second end members; a flexible wall secured on said first and second end members and defining a spring chamber therebetween; a mounting member disposed adjacent said first end member and rigidly affixed on the associated rigid mounting structure; a bearing element for providing reduced-friction rotational motion operatively secured between said first end member and said mounting member such that said first end member is substantially-freely rotatable with respect to said mounting member; an isolator supported on and sealingly engaging said first end member, said isolator including an isolator passage suitable for sealingly receiving the associated damping member; and, a jounce bumper supported within said spring chamber for receiving a bumper load, said jounce bumper operative to engage said first end member and thereby transfer substantially all of said bumper load to said first end member with substantially none of said bumper load transferred to said isolator; said isolator at least partially forming a first load transmission path together with said first end member, said bearing element and said mounting member such that a load attributed to the associated damping member is distributed to the associated rigid mounting structure through said isolator along said first load transmission path; said first end member, said bearing element and said mounting member at least partially forming a second load transmission path such that an air spring load and said bumper load are distributed to the associated rigid mounting structure along said second load transmission path without any substantial portion of said air spring load or said bumper load being transferred to said isolator. 2. An air spring assembly according to claim 1, wherein said first end member includes a bumper-engaging surface adapted to engage said jounce bumper. 3. An air spring assembly according to claim 1 further comprising a sealing member forming a substantially fluid-tight seal with said isolator and one of said first end member and said damping member. 4. An air spring assembly according to claim 3, wherein said sealing member is a first sealing member that forms a substantially fluid-tight seal between said isolator and said damping member, and said air spring assembly further comprises a second sealing member forming a substantially fluid-tight seal between said isolator and said first end member. 5. An air spring assembly according to claim 3, wherein said damping member includes a damping housing and a damping rod projecting from said damping housing, said isolator includes an inner sleeve and an elastomeric wall disposed outwardly along said inner sleeve and sealingly attached on said first end member, and said inner sleeve includes said isolator passage and receives said damping rod of said damping member. 6. An air spring assembly according to claim 1, wherein said second load transmission path carries from about 93 percent to about 99 percent of a sprung vehicle corner weight. 7. An air spring and damper assembly for use on an associated vehicle having associated first and second suspension mounting structures in spaced relation to one another, said air spring and damper assembly comprising: a damping member having first and second opposing ends, said first end of said damping member supported on the associated first suspension mounting structure; an air spring secured along said damping member and including a first end member, a second end member in spaced relation to said first end member and a flexible wall secured on said first and second end members and at least partially forming a spring chamber therebetween, said first end member being supported on said damping member toward said first end thereof; an isolator supported on and sealingly engaging said second end member; a mounting member disposed adjacent said second end member and rigidly attached to the associated second suspension mounting structure; a bearing element for permitting reduced-friction rotational motion between first and second bearing portions thereof said first bearing portion being operatively secured along said second end member and said second bearing portion being operatively secured on said mounting member such that said second end member and said mounting member are operatively connected to one another with said second end member is substantially-freely rotatable with respect to said mounting member; and, a bumper disposed along said damping member within said spring chamber, said bumper adapted to engage said second end member under an applied bumper load such that substantially all of said bumper load is transferred to said second end member with substantially none of said bumper load being transferred to said isolator; said second end member, said bearing element and said mounting member at least partially forming a rigid load-transmission path such that a load on said air spring and said bumper load are both substantially entirely transmitted to the associated second suspension mounting along said rigid load-transmission path without any substantial any substantial portion of said load on said air spring and said bumper load being transferred through said isolator; said isolator receiving and sealingly engaging said second end of said damping member, said isolator at least partially forming compliant load-transmission path to the associated second suspension mounting such that a damping member load is transmitted to the associated second suspension mounting structure along said compliant load-transmission path. 8. An air spring and damper assembly according to claim 7, wherein said second end member includes an approximately planar wall portion and said bumper includes a bumper end wall abuttingly engaging said approximately planar wall portion of said second end member to transfer said bumper load thereto. 9. An air spring and damper assembly according to claim 7, wherein said first end member is a piston, said second end member is a top cap and said flexible wall is an elastomeric sleeve forming a rolling lobe along said piston. 10. An air spring and damper assembly according to claim 9, wherein said damping member includes a damping housing and a damping rod and said first end of said damping member is a distal end of said damping housing and an opposing proximal end of said damping housing is secured on said piston, said damping rod extends from said proximal end of said damping housing and includes an opposing attachment end secured on said isolator. 11. An air spring and damper assembly according to claim 9, wherein said top cap includes a passage wall at least partially defining a passage extending therethrough and said isolator is at least partially received within said passage. 12. An air spring and damper assembly according to claim 7 further comprising a sealing member forming a substantially fluid-tight seal with said isolator and one of said damping member and said second end member. 13. An air spring and damper assembly according to claim 12, wherein said sealing member includes at least one of an O-ring, a quad-ring, a lip seal, a sealant compound and an adhesive compound. 14. An air spring and damper assembly according to claim 7, wherein said isolator is optimized for isolation of a load from said damping member. 15. A spring and damper assembly for use on an associated vehicle having associated first and second suspension mounting structures in spaced relation to one another, said spring and damper assembly comprising: a damping member including first and second opposing ends and a longitudinally-extending axis therebetween, said first end of said damping member supported on the associated first suspension mounting structure; a spring assembly secured along said damping member and including a first support member, a second support member in spaced relation to said first support member and a flexible spring element supported therebetween, said first support member being secured on said damping member toward said first end thereof; a bumper disposed along said damping member and adapted to receive a load applied thereto; a mounting member disposed between said second support member and the associated second suspension mounting structure, said mounting member being rigidly affixed to the associated second suspension mounting structure such that relative displacement therebetween is prevented; a bearing element for providing reduced-friction rotational motion and axial rigidity is operatively connected between said mounting member and said second support member such that said mounting member and said second support member can rotate relative to one another about said axis without permitting substantial axial displacement therebetween; and, an isolator supported on and sealingly engaging said second support member and said damping member, said isolator including a compliant portion suitable for substantial relative displacement in at least one of an axial direction and a radial direction; said second support member secured on said second suspension mounting structure through said bearing element and said mounting member and at least partially forming a rigid-member load transmission path therewith such that a load on said spring element and a load on said bumper are each substantially entirely transmitted to said second suspension mounting member through said second end member without any substantial portion of either of said load on said spring element or said load on said bumper transmission through said isolator; said isolator at least partially forming a compliant-member load transmission path to the associated second suspension mounting structure through said second end member such that a load on said damping member is transmitted to said second suspension mounting member through said isolator and along said compliant-member load transmission path. 16. A spring and damper assembly according to claim 15, wherein said spring assembly includes one of a coil spring and an air spring. 17. An air spring assembly for use on an associated vehicle suspension system having an associated damping member and an associated vehicle mounting structure, said air spring assembly comprising: spaced apart first and second end members having a longitudinally-extending axis formed therebetween; a flexible wall secured on said first and second end members; an isolator supported on and sealingly engaging said first end member and adapted for operative use with the associated damping member, said isolator including a compliant portion capable of substantial relative displacement in at least one of an axial direction and a radial direction; a mounting member fixedly secured to the associated vehicle mounting structure and positioned adjacent said first end member; a bearing element operatively secured between said first end member and said mounting member for permitting reduced-friction rotational motion therebetween while maintaining substantial axial rigidity; and, a jounce bumper disposed between said first and second end members and adapted to receive an applied bumper load; a first load transmission path extending along at least a portion of said isolator, and said first end member, said bearing element and said mounting member such that a damping member load is distributed therealong through said compliant portion of said isolator toward the associated vehicle mounting structure; and, a second load transmission path extending along at least a portion of said first end member, said bearing element and said mounting member such that an air spring load and said bumper load are distributed therealong toward the associated vehicle mounting structure without substantial displacement therethrough and without substantial transmission through said isolator. 18. An air spring assembly according to claim 17, wherein said first and second load paths converge along said first end member. 19. An air spring assembly according to claim 17, wherein said second load transmission path carries from about 93 percent to about 99 percent of a sprung vehicle weight.