A clamping plate is dimensioned to secure a flexible spring member to an end member for forming a gas spring assembly. The clamping plate includes a clamping plate wall with an axis and opposing surface portions oriented transverse to the axis. An opening extends into the clamping plate wall from along each of the opposing surface portions. An elongated damping passage extends in a spiral configuration through the clamping plate wall in fluid communication with the openings. A gas spring assembly includes a flexible spring member that defines a spring chamber, and an end member with an end member wall that defines an end member chamber. The clamping plate is secured to the end member and retains the flexible spring member thereon. The elongated damping passage is in fluid communication between the spring chamber and the end member chamber. Gas transfer between the spring chamber and the end member chamber generates pressurized gas damping during use of the gas spring assembly. Suspension systems and methods are also included.

A method for manufacturing a pressure vessel for a motor vehicle comprises the steps: providing a hollow basic body as a primary stage of the pressure vessel, wherein the basic body has an initial internal volume, and wherein the basic body has a wall, which extends fully around a longitudinal axis of the basic body, wherein the wall has an opening, which has an opening rim; providing a hollow auxiliary body, which has a base wall and a peripheral wall, wherein the peripheral wall is open on a side lying opposite the base wall; joining the auxiliary body with the basic body at the opening in the wall of the basic body, such that the pressure vessel having a desired final internal volume which is larger or smaller than the initial internal volume of the basic body is obtained. In addition, such a pressure vessel in the form of an air suspension pot of a suspension is described.

The subject disclosure describes, among other things, illustrative embodiments of an impact protection device that comprises the following elements: a machine, a protective structural member, and a fluid holding member. The impact protection device is designed to protect a user from an impact to the protective structural member by dissipating a portion of the kinetic energy of the impact. Machine operation translates into a controlled movement between elements of the impact protection device that deform the fluid holding member, thereby displacing a fluid. This controlled movement also dictates a throttling profile that regulates the amount of damping; thereby managing the portion of kinetic energy dissipated. The machine can be a mechanical assembly incorporating levers, cams and or computerized controllers.

Pneumatic Structure and Associated Production Method

The structure (10) comprises an elastically deformable body (12) defining at least one network of internal cavities (14), each internal cavity (14) having a closed contour in at least one section of the internal cavity (14),

Each internal cavity (14) is able to be pressurized so as to make the elastically deformable body (12) pass from a rest configuration to at least one pressurized configuration,

In each pressurized configuration, the elastically deformable body (12) has a macroscopic metric that is distinct from its macroscopic metric in the rest position,

In each pressurized configuration, the radius of curvature of an outer surface of the elastically deformable body (12), considered regarding each internal cavity (14) adjacent to the outer surface, is greater than twice the size of the internal cavity (14) adjacent to the outer surface.

Gas spring and gas damper assemblies include a gas spring and a gas damper. The gas spring includes a flexible spring member with opposing end members secured thereto and at least partially defining a spring chamber. An elongated damping passage having a spiral configuration extends through one of the end members. The gas damper includes a damper housing that at least partially defines a damping chamber in fluid communication with the spring chamber through the elongated damping passage. A damper piston assembly is received within the damping chamber and secured to the other of the end members. Suspension systems and methods are also included.

A suspension unit has a piston assembly connected to an adjuster. The piston assembly has three or more concentric cylindrical bodies including: an outer tube; an inner tube, and a dampener rod. The dampener rod is inside and concentric to the inner tube. The outer tube is rigidly connected to the dampener rod. The inner tube is telescopically mounted to the outer tube. The inner tube is inside and concentric to the outer tube. The adjuster has an adjuster compression entry port. The axle clamp rebound port connects to an adjuster block rebound entry port. The adjuster block has a high-speed compression cavity formed on an end of the adjuster block.

An end member assembly can include a first end member section and a second end member section that together form an end member volume. A partition section is provided separately and is disposed within the end member volume to separate the end member volume into at least two volume portions. At least one passage extends through the partition section and at least one control device is disposed in fluid communication along the passage. The control device substantially fluidically isolates the two volume portions under conditions of use below a predetermined differential pressure threshold. The control device permits fluid communication between the two volume portions under conditions of use in which the predetermined pressure threshold is exceeded. Gas spring assemblies including such an end member assembly as well as suspension systems and methods of manufacture are also included.

A gas spring and gas damper assembly includes a gas spring and a gas damper. The gas spring includes a flexible spring member with opposing end members secured thereto and at least partially defining a spring chamber. The gas damper includes an inner sleeve that is at least partially received within one of the end members and at least partially forms a damping chamber. A damper piston assembly is received within the damping chamber and secured to the other of the end members. An elongated damping passage fluidically connects the damping chamber and the spring chamber. Suspension systems and methods are also included.

An air spring for a heavy-duty vehicle includes a bellows chamber, a piston chamber, and at least one opening. The piston chamber is operatively connected to the bellows chamber. The at least one opening is in fluid communication with the bellows chamber and the piston chamber to provide fluid communication between the bellows chamber and the piston chamber. An orifice assembly is disposed adjacent the at least one opening for variably changing the size of the opening. The air spring provides damping to the heavy-duty vehicle.

An air spring with damping characteristics for a suspension assembly of a heavy-duty vehicle includes a bellows chamber, a piston chamber and an asymmetrical orifice. The asymmetrical orifice is in fluid communication with the bellows chamber and the piston chamber of the air spring. The asymmetrical orifice provides asymmetrical damping characteristics to the air spring of the heavy-duty vehicle.