Gas spring assemblies include a flexible spring member and a restraining cylinder. The flexible spring member includes a flexible wall extending longitudinally between first and second ends as well as peripherally about a longitudinal axis. The flexible wall includes an inside surface and an outside surface with the inside surface at least partially defining a spring chamber. The restraining cylinder includes a cylinder wall that extends longitudinally between first and second open ends as well as peripherally about the longitudinal axis. The cylinder wall includes an inside surface and an outside surface. The restraining cylinder is disposed longitudinally along the flexible spring member between the first and second ends thereof with at least a portion of the inside surface of the restraining cylinder permanently attached to the flexible wall along the outside surface thereof by way of a chemically-bonded joint. Methods of assembly are also included.

An assembly for an air spring includes an outer gaiter defined in part by an interior portion, an inner gaiter defined in part by an exterior portion, at least one floating ring extending from a first floating ring end to a second floating ring end, the first floating ring end coupled with the inner gaiter and the second floating ring end is coupled with the outer gaiter, where the at least one floating ring allows the outer gaiter to move relative to the inner gaiter.

A sheet-shaped cushioning rubber including a planar base portion and a three-dimensional portion formed to rise from the base portion toward one side in a sheet thickness direction, the planar base portion and the three-dimensional portion being alternately provided in one direction of a sheet plane, wherein the three-dimensional portion includes a hollow portion that opens toward the other side in the sheet thickness direction. The three-dimensional portion is integrally provided with a first rising surface that is continuous from the base portion, a top surface, a second rising surface on a side opposite to the first rising surface, and a pair of rising surfaces on both sides in a sheet width direction, and the hollow portion opens only toward the other side in the sheet thickness direction.

An air suspension assembly comprises a top and a bottom disposed on a center axis and spaced apart from one another. A bellows of an elastomeric material extends between a first end secured to the top and a second end secured to the bottom defining a chamber. The chamber extends between the top, the bottom, and the bellows for containing pressurized air, whereby a pressure of the pressurized air is controlled based on a force applied. The bellows has an interior surface and an exterior surface and including a plurality of convolutes extending between the first end and the second end. Each convolute of the plurality of convolutes includes a pair of outer lobes and an inner lobe with each outer lobe of the pair of outer lobes having an outer lobe thickness extending between the interior surface and the exterior surface of the bellows.

A bi-directional damping system generates damping forces in two opposing directions. A shaft has a plurality of bi-directional damping modules fixedly coupled thereto. Each module includes a fluid-filled variable-volume first chamber including at least one port through which fluid can flow based on changes in volume of the first chamber, and a fluid-filled variable-volume second chamber including at least one port through which fluid can flow based on changes in volume of the second chamber. The first chamber and second chamber are fluidically isolated from one another. A fluid-filled spacer chamber is coupled to adjacent ones of the modules. The spacer chamber includes at least one venting port through which fluid can flow based on pressure in the spacer chamber.

An assembly for an air spring includes an outer gaiter defined in part by an interior portion, an inner gaiter defined in part by an exterior portion, at least one floating ring extending from a first floating ring end to a second floating ring end, the first floating ring end coupled with the inner gaiter and the second floating ring end is coupled with the outer gaiter, where the at least one floating ring allows the outer gaiter to move relative to the inner gaiter.

The invention relates to an article having a single- or multi-layered main body having elastic properties, in particular an air spring bellows, a metal-rubber element or a vibration damper.

In order to improve its flame retardant properties, the main body of the article consists of or contains at least one layer D constructed from a rubber mixture which is free from halogen-containing flame retardants and contains at least one carbon black having a BET surface area according to DIN-ISO 9277 between 35 and 140 m.sup.2/g and an oil absorption number (OAN) according to ISO 4656 between 70 and 140 ml/100g and a first aluminum trihydrate (ATH_1) and at least a further aluminum trihydrate (ATH_2), wherein the first aluminum trihydrate (ATH_1) and the further aluminum trihydrate (ATH_2) each have a different particle size.

An inertia-actuated valve assembly includes a valve housing, a valve body and a biasing element. The valve housing includes a groove that has an open end fluidically accessible from along one side thereof. The valve housing includes a flow channel extending therethrough in fluid communication with the groove from along an opposing side of the valve housing. The valve body is positioned within the groove of the valve housing such that the valve body and the valve housing are axially co-extensive along at least a portion thereof. The biasing element operatively engages the valve body and generates a biasing force urging the valve body in a first axial direction. The biasing force is greater than a predetermined dynamic gas pressure threshold value multiplied by a pressure area and is less than or approximately equal to a valve body mass multiplied by 2.5 times the nominal acceleration due to gravity.

An inertia-actuated valve assembly includes a valve housing, a valve body and a biasing element. The valve housing includes a groove that has an open end fluidically accessible from along one side thereof. The valve housing includes a flow channel extending therethrough in fluid communication with the groove from along an opposing side of the valve housing. The valve body is positioned within the groove of the valve housing such that the valve body and the valve housing are axially co-extensive along at least a portion thereof. The biasing element operatively engages the valve body and generates a biasing force urging the valve body in a first axial direction. The biasing force is greater than a predetermined dynamic gas pressure threshold value multiplied by a pressure area and is less than or approximately equal to a valve body mass multiplied by 2.5 times the nominal acceleration due to gravity.

A diaphragm cell for damping pressure pulsations in a low-pressure region of a piston pump has two axially deformable diaphragms that are connected along their radial peripheries and enclose a gas space. The diaphragms each have a central region that extends over no less than 50% of the cross-sectional surface area of the diaphragms. The diaphragms are of undulating shape in the central region, which is curved axially outwards in its radially inner region and in its radially outer region. The diaphragms further include an axially inwardly curved annular region that is arranged between and immediately adjacent to the radially inner region and the radially outer region. An axially-measured amplitude of the wave shape has a predetermined range related to the cross-sectional surface area of the diaphragms when the pressure difference is zero. The pressure difference is a pressure in the gas space minus a pressure outside the gas space.