An end member assembly includes first and second end member sections. The first end member section includes a first securement feature integrally formed thereon. The second end member section includes a second securement feature integrally formed therein that is dimensioned to cooperatively engage the first securement feature. In an assembled condition, the first and second end member sections are operatively engaged to substantially inhibit axial displacement therebetween. A substantially fluid-tight joint can be formed between the first and second end member sections such that an end member chamber can be formed within the end member assembly. A third end member section can be included, and can be operatively connected to the second end member section. A gas spring assembly and a suspension system are also included.

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 vehicle rigid axle with an axle beam, at the ends of which axle journals or wheel carriers, are arranged, and trailing arms rigidly attached with a spring bracket for supporting an air-suspension bellow, and a method for manufacturing the vehicle rigid axle. An axle beam section extending between the trailing arms, a trailing arm adjoining the axle beam section and the spring bracket are formed by two shell elements connected to each other, which form a hollow body. In an embodiment, the spring bracket is formed by a lower shell element forming an axle beam section extending between the two trailing arms, and the spring bracket is arranged so that the air-suspension bellow mounted on the spring bracket is penetrated by the central longitudinal axis of the axle beam section. Two shell elements made of sheet metal are formed and joined together to form a hollow body.

A vehicle load-bearing member includes an electro-active material, a lead wire for delivering an electric current to the electro-active material, and a controller in communication with a power supply for supplying electric current to the electro-active material for changing dynamic characteristics of the electro-active material, wherein changing dynamic characteristics of the electro-active material changes at least one of dampening and stiffness of the vehicle load-bearing member by changing the shape of the electro-active material.

An air spring for a heavy-duty vehicle axle/suspension system comprising a piston, a bellows, and an intermediate chamber integrally formed with the bellows. The bellows has an upper portion, a top plate, and a bellows chamber and is connected to the piston by a band, a bead-in-groove connection, and/or a bayonet connection. The upper portion is reinforced to prevent the bellows chamber from increasing in volume. The intermediate chamber has an optimally sized top plate and a support structure and extends from the piston into the bellows chamber. The intermediate top plate is formed with means for restricted fluid communication between the bellows chamber and the intermediate chamber. The means for restricted fluid communication is not obstructed when it contacts the bellows top plate during jounce events. The support structure is optimized in relation to the top plate.

An air spring strut for a motor vehicle comprising an air spring with a shock damper for the spring-cushioning and damping of oscillations of a motor vehicle chassis, 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, wherein the air spring cover comprises a damper bearing receptacle in which a damper bearing of the shock damper is arranged, and wherein the air spring cover comprises a clamping base to which a first end of the rolling bellows is attached, wherein at least the damper bearing receptacle of the air spring cover is produced from a plastic material.

An emergency air spring assembly includes an upper cover plate, an air bag, an upper end plate and a lower end plate. An outer periphery of the upper end plate is connected with an outer periphery of the lower end plate through the air bag. An hourglass elastomer is connected between the upper cover plate and the upper end plate. A plurality of steel springs are arranged between the upper cover plate and the upper end plate in a circumferential direction of the sand clock elastomer in a pressing mode.

A prepressed emergency air spring assembly includes an upper cover plate, an air bag, an upper end plate and a lower end plate. The periphery of the upper end plate is connected with an outer periphery of the lower end plate through the air bag. A steel spring is arranged between the upper cover plate and the upper end plate in a pressing mode. A plurality of hourglass elastomers are arranged between the upper cover plate and the upper end plate along a circumferential direction of the steel spring.

An hourglass type air spring assembly includes an upper cover plate, an air bag, an upper end plate and a lower end plate. An outer periphery of the upper cover plate is connected with an outer periphery of the upper end plate through the air bag. A low-position hourglass elastomer and a high-position elastomer which are integrally formed are connected with each other between the upper end plate and the lower end plate. An annular notch is formed between the low-position hourglass elastomer and the high-position elastomer, and an annular rigid partition plate matched with the annular notch is arranged in the annular notch.

An air spring includes a composite bumper, a composite piston, a flexible bellow and an upper end cap member. The composite piston has a first end which includes a plurality of rigid portions and a plurality of adjacently positioned cantilever snap joints for receiving and securing the composite bumper. The composite bumper includes an inner wall having a surface shape for securely engaging the plurality of rigid portions and the plurality of cantilever snap joints. The first end of the composite piston further includes a piston housing surface upon which an outer surface of the composite bumper nests against. The flexible bellow is sealingly attached to the composite piston and the upper end cap member. The flexible bellow, the upper end cap member, and the composite piston together form a fluid tight chamber, and the composite bumper is contained within the fluid tight chamber.