COUNTERFEIT REFRIGERANT ANALYZER

Abstract

The present invention is directed to an air spring having a flexible member which collapses into the form of a double meniscus under conditions where there is a substantial or a complete loss of air pressure. The double meniscus prevents the flexible member from rolling over the piston and/or chafing against surrounding parts of the vehicle on which the air spring is mounted. This is accomplished by incorporating a flexible member having a top portion, a bottom portion, and an expansion region between the top portion and the bottom portion of the flexible member, wherein the top portion is at least 10% larger in diameter than the bottom portion of the flexible member. The present invention more specifically discloses an air spring comprising a piston, a top plate, and a flexible member which is affixed to the piston and the top plate, wherein the piston, the top plate and the flexible member defines a pressurizable chamber, wherein the flexible member is comprised of a top portion, a bottom portion, and an expansion region extending between the top portion and the bottom portion of the flexible member, wherein the top portion has a diameter which is at least 10% larger than the diameter of the bottom portion.

Claims

1. An air spring comprising a piston, a top plate, and a flexible member which is affixed to the piston and the top plate, wherein the piston, the top plate and the flexible member defines a pressurizable chamber, wherein the flexible member comprises a top portion, a bottom portion, and an expansion region extending between the top portion and the bottom portion of the flexible member, wherein the top portion has a diameter which is at least 10% larger than the diameter of the bottom portion.

2. The air spring of claim 1 wherein the top portion has a diameter which is within the range of 12% to 40% larger than the diameter of the bottom portion.

3. The air spring of claim 1 wherein the bottom portion of the flexible member represents from about 20% to about 80% of the total height of the flexible member in its fully extended state.

4. The air spring of claim 3 wherein the top portion of the flexible member represents from about 10% to about 60% of the total height of the flexible member in its fully extended state.

5. The air spring of claim 4 wherein the expansion region represents about 4% to about 30% of the total height of the flexible member in its fully extended state.

6. The air spring as specified in claim 1 which is further comprised of a bumper which is affixed to the piston and which extends into the pressurized chamber.

7. The air spring of claim 1 wherein the top portion has a diameter which is within the range of 14% to 25% larger than the diameter of the bottom portion.

8. The air spring of claim 1 wherein the top portion has a diameter which is within the range of 15% to 20% larger than the diameter of the bottom portion.

9. The air spring of claim 1 wherein the bottom portion of the flexible member represents from about 50% to about 85% of the total height of the flexible member in its fully extended state.

10. The air spring of claim 1 wherein the bottom portion of the flexible member represents from about 55% to about 65% of the total height of the flexible member in its fully extended state.

11. The air spring of claim 4 wherein the expansion region represents about 6% to about 10% of the total height of the flexible member in its fully extended state.

12. The air spring of claim 4 wherein the expansion region represents about 7% to about 9% of the total height of the flexible member in its fully extended state.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0010] FIG. 1 illustrates an air spring of this invention in its fully extended state.

[0011] FIG. 2 illustrates an air spring of this invention in a compacted state as might be experienced after air loss which shows the flexible member of the air spring in the configuration of a double meniscus.

[0012] FIG. 3 illustrates an air spring of this invention in a compacted state wherein the piston of the air spring is at an offset angle relative to the bead plate of the air spring.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0013] The air spring 1 of this invention includes a piston 2, a top plate 3, and a flexible member 4 which is affixed to the piston 2 and the top plate 3 as shown in FIG. 1. The piston 2, the top plate 3, and the flexible member 4 define a pressurizable chamber 5. The flexible member 4 is typically made of a cured rubber which can be reinforced with one or more layers of fabric reinforcement. The pressurizable chamber 5 is generally filled with a gas, such as air or nitrogen, to a pressure greater than atmospheric pressure. The gas is usually air for economic reasons. However, the pressurizable chamber can optionally be filled with an inert gas, such as nitrogen to help protect the flexible member (a rubber component) from degradation caused by oxygen or ozone.

[0014] The flexible member 4 is comprised of a top portion 6, a bottom portion 7, and an expansion region 8 extending between the top portion 6 and the bottom portion 7 of the flexible member 4. The top portion 6 has a diameter which is at least 10% larger than the diameter of the bottom portion 7. For instance, the in top portion can have a diameter which is 10% to 40% larger than the diameter of the bottom portion 7. In one embodiment of this invention the top portion 6 can have a diameter which is in the range 12% to 40% larger than the diameter of the bottom portion 7. The top portion 6 will frequently have a diameter which is in the range 14% to 25% larger than the diameter of the bottom portion 7. For instance, the top portion 6 can have a diameter which is in the range 15% to 20% larger than the diameter of the bottom portion 7.

[0015] The bottom portion 7 of the flexible member 4 typically represents from about 20% to about 80% of the total height of the flexible member 4 in its fully extended state as illustrated in FIG. 1. In one embodiment of this invention the bottom portion 7 of the flexible member 4 normally represents from about 50% to about 85% of the total height of the flexible member 4 in its fully extended state as illustrated in FIG. 1. For instance, the bottom portion 7 of the flexible member 4 typically represents from about 55% to about 65% of the total height of the flexible member 4 in its fully extended state as illustrated in FIG. 1.

[0016] The top portion 6 of the flexible member 4 typically represents from about 10% to about 60% of the total height of the flexible member 4 in its fully extended state. The top portion 6 of the flexible member 4 normally represents from about 20% to about 40% of the total height of the flexible member 4 in its fully extended state. The top portion 6 of the flexible member 4 generally represents from about 25% to about 35% of the total height of the flexible member 4 in its fully extended state.

[0017] The expansion region 8 typically represents about 4% to about 30% of the total height of the flexible member 4 in its fully extended state. The expansion region 8 normally represents about 6% to about 10% of the total height of the flexible member 4 in its fully extended state. The expansion region 8 generally represents about 7% to about 9% of the total height of the flexible member 4 in its fully extended state. It should be noted that the total height of the flexible member is the sum of the height of the top portion 6, the height of the expansion region 8, and the height of the bottom portion 7 of the flexible member.

[0018] The air spring 1 will typically also include a bumper 9 which is affixed to the piston 2 and which extends into the pressurized chamber 5. Alternatively, the bumper 9 can be attached to top plate 3. The bumper 9 is typically made of a cure elastomer or a thermoplastic elastomer.

[0019] As illustrates in FIG. 2 the flexible member 4 folds two times to compact into the configuration of a double meniscus as it is compressed, such as under the condition of partial or complete air loss. FIG. 3 illustrates the flexible member 4 folded two times and compacted into the configuration of a double meniscus as it is compressed wherein the piston 2 of the air spring is at an offset angle relative to the bead plate 3 of the air spring 1.

[0020] In one embodiment of this invention the air spring 1 includes a composite bead plate 3 as described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/200,150. The teachings of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/200,150 are incorporated herein by reference. In another embodiment of this invention the air spring 1 can include an air spring upper retained as described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,926,264 B1. The teachings of U.S. Pat. No. 6,926,262 B1 are also incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

[0021] Variations in the present invention are possible in light of the description of it provided herein. While certain representative embodiments and details have been shown for the purpose of illustrating the subject invention, it will be apparent to those skilled in this art that various changes and modifications can be made therein without departing from the scope of the subject invention. It is, therefore, to be understood that changes can be made in the particular embodiments described which will be within the full intended scope of the invention as defined by the following appended claims.