Air Spring Rolling Bellows Reinforcement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Thin-walled rolling bellows in air springs and dampers face challenges in absorbing forces perpendicular to their axis, leading to potential damage and harshness issues, especially when reinforced only in clamping regions or with external guides, which can cause material strain and increased manufacturing costs.
Innovation Solution
A continuously vulcanized folded-up layer is formed on the rolling bellows before assembly, extending into high-load regions, allowing for localized reinforcement during continuous production, and optionally extending to the external guide for additional support, enabling smooth transitions and improved structural integrity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If thin-walled rolling bellows are used to increase comfortable suspension characteristics and reduce harshness, then suspension comfort is improved, but the bellows become vulnerable to material damage from clamping forces and perpendicular forces
Solution Approach 1:
The bellows is manufactured with locally varying wall thickness: thin-walled sections in the active suspension region for comfort, and thickened sections at the ends (achieved by folded-up layers) for strength against clamping forces. This local differentiation allows simultaneous optimization of both comfort and durability.
Solution Approach 2:
The folded-up layers are prepared in advance during manufacturing, positioned at the bellows ends before assembly. This preliminary preparation ensures that the reinforcement is already in place to withstand clamping forces during installation and operation, preventing material damage before it occurs.
2Reliability
If folded-up layers are added to reinforce the bellows in clamping regions, then resistance to clamping forces is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases due to post-vulcanization folding
Solution Approach 1:
The folded-up layers are formed during the vulcanization process itself rather than after assembly. The bellows is vulcanized in its final configuration with the folded layers already in place, integrating the reinforcement step into the main manufacturing process and eliminating complex post-assembly operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The reinforcement feature (folded-up layers) is merged with the vulcanization process. The folding and curing operations are combined into a single integrated manufacturing step, simplifying the overall process while ensuring the reinforcement is properly bonded to the bellows structure.
3Strength
If external guides are used to support thin-walled rolling bellows, then structural support is improved, but the space for cardanic fold is reduced, limiting ability to absorb perpendicular forces
Solution Approach 1:
The bellows is designed with differentiated wall thickness: thin-walled sections where flexibility is needed for cardanic fold movement, and thickened sections at the ends for strength. This local differentiation allows the bellows to maintain adaptability while having sufficient strength in critical regions.
Solution Approach 2:
The bellows structure is segmented into functionally distinct regions: the active suspension region with thin walls for flexibility and cardanic fold movement, and the end regions with folded-up layers for strength against clamping forces. This segmentation allows each region to be optimized for its specific function without compromising the other.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This solution provides comfortable suspension characteristics and reduced harshness while maintaining strength in high-load regions, allowing for continuous production of thin-walled rolling bellows with specific reinforcement, reducing manufacturing costs and preventing material damage.
Implementation Method 1
a continuously vulcanized folded-up layer, which is folded back to such a length that, after the assembly of the air spring, at least one region of the rolling bellows, which is subjected to high loads by chassis forces, falls within the region of the folded-up layer
Data Source
AI summary
An air spring has at least one working space which is filled with compressed air and which is delimited at least partially by a rolling bellows which is fastened at its ends to connecting parts. At least one of its ends, the air spring has a wall which is thicker in relation to the rest of the rolling bellows body, wherein the rolling bellows has, at least one of its thickened ends, a continuously vulcanized layer cover which is folded back to such a length that, after the assembly of the air spring, at least one region of the rolling bellows which is highly loaded by chassis forces falls into the region of the layer cover.