Air Spring Preassembly Sealing for Body Outlet Openings
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for sealing outlet openings in the mounting interface area of air springs are either cost-intensive, prone to damage, or lose their sealing effect when the air spring is removed or depressurized, necessitating a cost-effective and reliable solution.
Innovation Solution
A preassembly device with a centering member for aligning a sealing element that extends radially from the device to seal outlet openings, incorporating a support element that pretensions to maintain the seal during assembly and disassembly, allowing for simultaneous sealing and preassembly of air springs without requiring separate sealing elements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If foam ribs are used to seal outlet openings, then sealing effectiveness is improved, but manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a simple plastic cap as a disposable sealing element instead of expensive foam ribs. The cap is designed to be inexpensive to manufacture and can be discarded after use, eliminating the need for costly reusable foam sealing components while maintaining effective sealing during the critical painting process.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a simplified copy of the sealing function using a basic cap structure rather than complex foam rib assemblies. This cap copy performs the essential sealing task at a fraction of the cost of the original foam rib solution, demonstrating functional equivalence with reduced manufacturing complexity.
2Reliability
If lost ribs are used to seal outlet openings, then sealing is achieved, but the sealing effect is lost when the air spring is removed or depressurized
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies sealing caps to outlet openings before the air spring is installed or pressurized. This preliminary sealing action ensures that the openings are protected during the painting process and initial assembly, and the caps remain in place to maintain sealing even when the air spring is later removed or depressurized, unlike lost ribs that fail under these conditions.
3Reliability
If a separate sealing element is used, then sealing of outlet openings is achieved, but the assembly process becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the sealing cap with the air spring assembly process itself. The cap is designed to be installed as part of the overall air spring mounting operation rather than as a separate step, merging the sealing function with the assembly process and eliminating the need for additional separate sealing components or steps.
Solution Approach 2:
The sealing cap serves multiple functions: it seals the outlet opening during painting, remains in place during air spring installation, and continues to protect the opening when the air spring is removed or depressurized. This multi-functional design eliminates the need for multiple separate components while maintaining reliable sealing throughout the entire lifecycle of the air spring.
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a preassembly device for preassembling an air spring on a body (e.g., a car body) that has an assembly interface. Embodiment of the preassembly device include a centering member for centering the preassembly device on the assembly interface, and a connector for connecting to an air spring. With embodiments, the preassembly device further includes a carrier (or support element) extending away from the preassembly device. A seal provided on the carrier for sealing a discharge opening of the body may be provided at the assembly interface, wherein the centering member may be configured for aligning the seal at the discharge opening. The invention provides a device that can provide a low-cost and simple sealing of the outlet openings in the area of the mounting interface.