INTERNAL SNAPPING GAITER

Abstract

An air spring assembly including an internal snapping gaiter. The internal snapping gaiter includes a free end having a flange that is snap fit to a retainment tab of a free end of a guide tube of the air spring assembly.

Claims

1. An air spring assembly comprising: a guide tube, the guide tube comprising a retainment tab disposed at a free end of the guide tube, wherein the retainment tab extends around an entire circumference of the guide tube; and a gaiter, the gaiter comprising a flange disposed at a free end of the gaiter, wherein the flange extends around an entire circumference of the gaiter; wherein the retainment tab is configured to be disposed within the flange to couple the guide tube and the gaiter.

2. The air spring assembly according to claim 1, wherein a diameter of the free end of the gaiter is less than a diameter of the guide tube at the flange.

3. The air spring assembly according to claim 1, wherein the retainment tab is disposed at approximately a 90 degree angle inwardly from a longitudinal wall of the guide tube towards a center of the guide tube.

4. The air spring assembly according to claim 1, wherein the flange comprises a recess in the gaiter, and wherein a shape of the recess corresponds to a shape of the retainment tab.

5. The air spring assembly according to claim 1, wherein the gaiter comprises a plurality of folds, and wherein the flange is disposed coupled to a convex fold among the plurality of folds.

6. The air spring assembly according to claim 5, wherein the plurality of folds are concentrically and longitudinally arranged about a longitudinal access of the gaiter

7. The air spring assembly according to claim 5, wherein a width of the flange coupled to the convex fold may be substantially equal to the width of the retainment tab.

8. The air spring assembly according to claim 1, wherein gaiter further comprises a vertical portion located between the flange and the free end of the gaiter, wherein a diameter of the vertical portion is greater than a diameter of the flange.

9. The air spring assembly according to claim 8, wherein the diameter of the vertical portion is greater than the diameter of the retainment tab.

10. The air spring assembly according to claim 8, wherein the vertical portion extends around the entire circumference of the gaiter.

11. The air spring assembly according to claim 8, wherein the diameter of the vertical portion is equidistant from a longitudinal axis of the gaiter about the entire circumference of the gaiter.

12. The air spring assembly according to claim 1, wherein a diameter of the flange is equidistant from a longitudinal axis of the gaiter about the entire circumference of the gaiter.

13. The air spring assembly according to claim 1, wherein the diameter of the retaining tab is equidistant from a longitudinal access of the guide tube about the entire circumference of the guide tube.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0011] The above and other aspects will be more clearly understood from the following brief description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0012] FIG. 1 is a diagram of a conventional air spring assembly; and

[0013] FIG. 2 is a diagram of an air spring assembly, according to an embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0014] FIG. 2 is a diagram of an air spring assembly, according to an embodiment.

[0015] As illustrated in FIG. 2, the air spring assembly 200 includes a guide tube 210 and a gaiter 220.

[0016] The guide tube 210 may have an inner diameter 215 and an outer diameter 217. Accordingly, a thickness of the guide tube may be a difference between the inner diameter 215 and the outer diameter 217.

[0017] The gaiter may include a plurality of folds 221. The plurality of folds may include a plurality of concave folds 222 and a plurality of convex folds 223. Each concave fold among the plurality of concave folds 222 may be alternatingly coupled to a convex fold among the plurality of convex folds 223.

[0018] The gaiter 220 may have a first diameter 224. The first diameter 224 may be a distance between opposing concave folds among the plurality of concave folds 222. The first diameter 224 of the gaiter 220 may be referred to as an inner diameter of the gaiter 220. The first diameter 224 of the gaiter 220 may be less than the inner diameter 215 of the guide tube 210.

[0019] The gaiter may also have a second diameter 225. The second diameter 225 may be a distance between opposing convex folds among the plurality of convex folds 225. The second diameter 225 of the gaiter 220 may be referred to as an outer diameter of the gaiter 220. The second diameter 225 of the gaiter may be greater than the outer diameter 217 of the guide tube 210.

[0020] The gaiter 220 includes a free end 230. The free end 230 of the gaiter 220 may be a referred to as a distal end or terminating end of the gaiter 220. A diameter 235 of the free end 230 of the gaiter 220 may be less than the inner diameter 215 of the guide tube 210. Moreover, as will be described later, the diameter 235 of the free end 230 of the gaiter may be less than a diameter of the guide tube 210 and retainment tab 242. As a result of the diameter 235 of the free end 230 of the gaiter 220 being less than the diameter 215 of the guide tube 210, an automated, machine press fitting of the guide tube 210 and the gaiter 220 may be performed.

[0021] The guide tube 210 may include a free end 240. The free end 240 of the guide tube 210 may be a referred to as a distal end or terminating end of the guide tube 210. The free end 240 of the guide tube 210 may include a retainment tab 242. The retainment tab 242 may be a portion of the guide tube 210 disposed inwardly towards the inner surface of the guide tube. The retainment tab 242 may be formed to have an angle of approximately 90 degrees from a longitudinal direction of a longitudinal wall of the guide tube 210. A width 243 of the retainment tab 242 may be greater than the thickness of the guide tube 210 between the inner diameter 215 of the guide tube and the outer diameter 217 of the guide tube 210.

[0022] The free end 230 of the gaiter 220 may be coupled to a terminal convex fold 226 among the plurality of convex folds 223. The free end 230 of the gaiter 220 may include a flange 232 or recess. The flange 232 may extend inwardly from the convex fold 226 to have an angle of approximately 90 degrees from a longitudinal direction of a longitudinal wall of the guide tube 210. Accordingly, the retainment tab 242 and the flange 232 may both extend inwardly towards a center of the guide tube 210 and the air spring assembly 200 at an angle of approximately 90 degrees from a longitudinal direction of a longitudinal wall of the guide tube 210. As a result, the guide tube 210 may not extend downwardly along the gaiter 220 beyond the flange 232 when press fit to the gaiter 220.

[0023] A width 233 of the flange 232 coupled to the convex fold 226 may be substantially equal to the width 243 of the retainment tab 240. Accordingly, a size and shape of the retainment tab 240 may correspond to a size and shape of the flange 232, and the retainment tab 240 may be configured to abut the flange 232 when the retainment tab 242 is disposed within the flange 232. As a result, retainment tab 242 of the free end 240 guide tube 210 may be snap fit to the flange 232 of the free end 230 of the gaiter 220.

[0024] As opposed to a convex fold similar to the plurality of convex folds 223, the free end 230 of the gaiter 220 may include a vertical portion 236 coupled to the flange 232. A diameter of the free end 230 of the gaiter 220 at the location of the vertical portion 236 may be substantially equal to the inner diameter 215 of the guide tube. Accordingly, the vertical portion 236 of the free end 230 of the gaiter 220 may be configured to abut an inner surface of the guide tube 210 having the inner diameter 215.

[0025] Consequently, the structure of the air spring assembly according to embodiments of the present application obviates the need for the manual assembly of the gaiter and outer guide tube. Further, the structure of the air spring assembly according to embodiments of the present application reduces overall cost through omission of additional fasteners required to secure the gaiter and guide tube. Moreover, a compact air spring assembly may be achieved by reducing package space for the gaiter under the guide tube.