Air Spring Rolling Bellows Wall Reinforcement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing air springs require a separate rolling piston for operation, which complicates construction, assembly, and connection, leading to increased production and assembly costs, and potential instability during vehicle lifting.
Innovation Solution
The air spring incorporates a tubular or cylindrical wall reinforcement within the rolling bellows, providing dimensional stability and eliminating the need for a separate piston, allowing the bellows to function as an integrated piston, reducing component count and simplifying assembly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a separate rolling piston is used in the air spring, then the air spring can function properly with dimensional stability, but the construction becomes complicated and assembly becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the rolling bellows and the piston into a single integrated component. The rolling bellows is designed with a closed end that directly forms the piston structure, eliminating the need for a separate piston component. This integration maintains dimensional stability while simplifying the overall construction and assembly process.
2Reliability
If a separate rolling piston is used, then the air spring functions correctly, but production costs and assembly time increase
Solution Approach 1:
By merging the rolling bellows and piston into one component, the patent reduces the number of parts that need to be manufactured and assembled. This integration streamlines production processes and reduces assembly time while maintaining the functional performance of the air spring.
3Ease of manufacture
If the lower end of the bellows is pushed onto the piston seat, then connection is achieved, but the connection is not secure during vehicle lifting
Solution Approach 1:
The integration of the piston into the rolling bellows structure eliminates the connection interface between separate components. The closed end of the rolling bellows forms the piston that directly contacts the piston seat, creating a more secure and reliable connection that prevents detachment during vehicle lifting while maintaining ease of assembly.
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 configuration simplifies assembly, reduces component production and transport costs, and maintains the air spring's functionality while ensuring stability and secure operation without a separate piston, enhancing the air spring's integration into vehicle chassis.
Implementation Method 1
an air spring with a rolling bellows made of elastomer material
Implementation Method 2
the connection parts and the air spring bellows thus enclose the working space which is under internal pressure
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3
Figure 4~5
AI summary
An air spring with an air spring rolling bellows made of elastomer material with reinforcing layers embedded within the rolling bellows wall, the air spring being clamped in between a sprung and an unsprung mass, wherein the rolling bellows comprises, within its wall at a first bellows end, a tubular or cylindrical wall reinforcement which extends in a longitudinal direction of the rolling bellows and which is formed in addition to the reinforcing layers, said wall reinforcement extending over an end-side partial length of the rolling bellows and imparting such a dimensional stability to the rolling bellows there that, during operation, the rolling bellows rolls, by way of its wall parts located outside of the additional wall reinforcement, on the outer side of the end-side partial length, with the formation of a rolling fold.