An air spring assembly includes a piston configured to couple to a suspension component, a top cap configured to couple to a vehicle frame, and a hollow guide tube having a first end coupled to the top cap and a second end provided with an aperture to the hollow. The piston passes through the aperture and is disposed at least partially within the guide tube. The assembly also includes a diaphragm disposed at least partially within the guide tube, disposed between and attached to the piston and the top cap. The assembly further includes a seal member having an outboard portion coupled to the guide tube proximate the second end, an inboard portion coupled to the outer periphery of the piston, and a membrane extending between the outboard portion and the inboard portion. The membrane defines a rolling lobe disposed between the guide tube and the piston.

An air spring bellows for an air spring. The air spring may be used in suspension systems for automobiles, trucks, buses, trains, and industrial machines, among other applications. The air spring includes an air spring bellows. The bellows includes a flexible elastomeric substrate. The substrate is formed of polyurethane. Polyurethane may be the sole elastomer, or the majority of the elastomeric material, in the substrate. The substrate may be translucent. The bellows may include reinforcements, such as fiber cords. Plies of the fiber cords may be arranged within the elastomeric substrate.

End members are supportable along a damper housing and dimensioned for securement to flexible spring member. End members include a wall with a side wall portion including an inner side surface portion. First projections extend toward a first inner edge with a first shoulder surface portion faces a second end. Second projections extend inward beyond the inner side surface portion toward a second inner edge with a second shoulder surface portion facing a first end. Second projections are spaced axially from first projections such that a groove is formed inward of the inner side surface portion between first and second shoulder surface portions. End member assemblies including such an end member as well as gas spring and damper assemblies and suspension systems are also included.

An air spring assembly having pressure relief capability, where the air spring assembly includes a single air volume, or a multi-chamber air volume. When the air spring assembly is operating at a stiffer spring rate in combination with a setting to increase ground clearance, during certain road events, the air spring assembly is compressed, and the pressure in the air spring assembly increases. In order to not exceed the safe mechanical limits of the air spring assembly, the pressure is limited to a maximum value when full compression is achieved. The air spring assembly includes at least one valve, which is opened based on a cracking pressure, which is determined based on the mechanical limits of the air spring assembly. This facilitates the operation of the air spring assembly at settings to increase ground clearance of the vehicle, while allowing for pressure relief when the mechanical limit is reached.

An axle/suspension system for a heavy-duty vehicle includes a suspension assembly, an axle, and a damping means. The suspension assembly is operatively connected to the heavy-duty vehicle. The axle is operatively connected to the suspension assembly. The damping means is operatively connected to and extends between the suspension assembly and the heavy-duty vehicle. The axle/suspension system has a motion ratio of between about 1.4 to about 1.7. A method for optimizing damping of an axle/suspension system of a heavy-duty vehicle includes the steps of: calculating a curve representing a damping energy relating to load on a damping air spring; calculating a curve representing a damping energy relating to air flow velocity through at least one opening of the air spring; calculating an optimized motion ratio by determining an intersection of the curves; altering the geometry of the axle/suspension system to provide the axle/suspension system with the optimized motion ratio.

A load sensor system including one or more of a vehicle suspension including a pair of beams outwardly extending from a vehicle axle, a pair of air suspension assemblies correspondingly coupled between the pair of beams and a vehicle frame, where each of the air suspension assemblies includes a load sensor capable of generating a load signal, a load sensor computer communicatively coupled to the load sensor having a load sensor program including a load calculator, and a central computer communicatively coupled to the load sensor computer having a central program executable to receive the load calculated by the load sensor computer.

An air spring with an air spring rolling bellows made of elastomer material with reinforcing layers embedded within the rolling bellows wall, the air spring being clamped in between a sprung and an unsprung mass, and the air spring rolling bellows, at least at one of its two open ends, having a bead ring or a reinforced end region and being fastened in an airtight manner to an air spring cover connected to the sprung mass, the rolling bellows being fastened in an airtight manner by way of its other open end to a connection part connected to the unsprung mass, and the cover, connection part and rolling bellows delimiting a working space filled with compressed air, wherein at least the airtight connection between the air spring rolling bellows and the air spring cover is effected by means of a connecting element which is fastened to the bead ring or to the reinforced end region in a materially bonded and/or positively locking manner.

Air suspension strut for a motor vehicle comprising an air spring with a shock damper, wherein the air spring comprises an air spring cover and a rolling piston, wherein a rolling bellows of elastomer material is clamped in an airtight manner between the air spring cover and the rolling piston, the air spring cover comprises a damper bearing receptacle having a base and receiving a damper bearing of the shock damper, and the air spring cover comprises a clamping base to which a first end of the rolling bellows is attached, wherein the air spring cover is manufactured from a plastic material and comprises a reinforcing core in order to increase the strength of the damper bearing receptacle, the reinforcing core being arranged in the base of the damper bearing receptacle and being at least partially surrounded by the plastic material of the air spring cover.

An air spring assembly for a vehicle having a damper body which is decoupled from the bellow of a piston, allowing the damper to rotate freely without inducing torsion into the piston. The design includes a two-piece piston having both an inner piston and an outer piston which are connected together, and a portion of the inner piston is positioned over the damper tube. The piston having the two-piece design allows for the two-piece piston to fully decouple from the damper without leakage. The inner piston retains a rotary O-ring which seals to a damper rod to keep air within the air spring assembly. The air spring assembly also includes a thrust bearing located between the inner piston and the top surface of the damper tube. The thrust bearing allows full decoupling from the inner piston and the damper, ensuring that there is no torsion translated to the bellow.

A pneumatic spring for a running gear of a motor vehicle, including a pneumatic spring cover and a pneumatic spring piston, wherein a pneumatic spring bellows composed of elastomer material is braced in air-tight fashion between the pneumatic spring cover and the pneumatic spring piston, wherein the pneumatic spring bellows is at least partially surrounded by a sleeve-like outer guide, wherein a corrugated bellows surrounds the pneumatic spring bellows and the outer guide, and wherein, between the outer guide and the corrugated bellows, there is provided a separately formed, air-permeable fastener by which the corrugated bellows is fixed to the outer guide.