Air Spring Diaphragm Venting for Bead Seal Air Supply

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Solution Overview

Problem

The transition from a deflated to an inflated state in air springs can be hindered due to the bead portion of the diaphragm sealing between the lower and upper members, caused by slight dimensional variations, which impedes air supply during installation or maintenance processes.

Innovation Solution

A ventilation passage forming portion is provided on the bead inner surface of the diaphragm, allowing air to flow from the radially inner to outer regions, even when the bead portion seals between the lower and upper members, by forming a ventilation passage.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the bead portion seals between the lower member and the upper member to maintain airtightness, then the airtightness of the diaphragm is improved, but the air supply to the diaphragm is hindered when the bead portion is displaced

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveairtightnessVSAvoidair supply

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The bead inner surface is segmented into multiple regions: a sealing region for maintaining airtightness and a ventilation passage region for allowing air supply. This segmentation resolves the contradiction by enabling the bead portion to simultaneously provide both sealing and ventilation functions through distinct spatial zones on its inner surface.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Manufacturing precision

If dimensional variation of the diaphragm occurs, then the bead portion may be displaced, but the displaced bead portion seals between the lower member and the upper member which hinders air supply

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedimensional variationVSAvoidair supply function

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The ventilation passage is preliminarily formed on the bead inner surface during manufacturing, before any displacement occurs. This preliminary action ensures that even if dimensional variation causes bead displacement and sealing between members, the ventilation passage remains available to allow air supply, thus maintaining reliability under varying manufacturing conditions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Productivity

If the bead portion seals between the lower member and the upper member, then the transition from deflated to inflated state is hindered, but the sealing action is caused by slight dimensional variation

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetransition speedVSAvoiddimensional variation tolerance

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The ventilation passage acts as an intermediary pathway that allows air to reach the diaphragm even when the bead portion seals the space between lower and upper members. This intermediary channel resolves the contradiction by providing an alternative route for air supply that is not blocked by the sealing action resulting from dimensional variation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentEP4610513A1Diaphragm for air spring and air spring

Publication Date: 2025.09.03 NITTA CHEM IND PROD CO LTD

Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3(A)~3(B)

AI summary

A diaphragm (3) has a pair of annular bead portions (31, 32). Of those, the bead portion (31) includes a bead inner surface (31a) facing an axially inner side. A ventilation passage forming portion (80) is provided on the bead inner surface (31a). The ventilation passage forming portion (80) is configured to form a ventilation passage communicating from a radially inner region (Ai) to a radially outer region (Ao) with respect to the bead inner surface (31a) between a virtual plane (VP) and the bead inner surface (31a), the virtual plane (VP) being orthogonal to an axial direction and in contact with the bead inner surface (31a).