Air Spring Guide Tube Tab Retention for Crimpless Bellow Assembly
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
The assembly of air spring assemblies for vehicles is complicated by the insertion of a clamp ring into the air bellow, which hinders efficient attachment to the guide tube.
Innovation Solution
The air spring assembly incorporates a guide tube with circumferentially spaced fixing openings and a bellow with integral tabs that extend from its outer surface, allowing for direct alignment and retention within the guide tube, eliminating the need for additional attachment structures and simplifying the assembly process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a clamp ring is inserted into the bellow to facilitate attachment to the guide tube, then the attachment function is improved, but the assembly complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the attachment function directly into the bellow structure by forming integral tabs as part of the bellow itself, eliminating the need for a separate clamp ring component. This integration reduces assembly complexity while maintaining the attachment function, as the tabs are directly molded or formed with the bellow rather than requiring insertion of an additional part.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the clamp ring from the assembly by replacing it with integral tabs formed directly on the bellow. The tabs serve the same attachment purpose but are built-in features rather than separate components, thereby removing the complexity associated with inserting and securing a clamp ring while preserving the functional requirement of attaching the bellow to the guide tube.
2Reliability
If a clamp ring is used to attach the bellow to the guide tube, then the attachment is secured, but the assembly operation becomes complicated
Solution Approach 1:
The attachment mechanism is merged into the bellow structure through integral tabs that are formed as part of the bellow during manufacturing. This eliminates the need for separate assembly steps involving clamp ring insertion and securing, making the assembly operation simpler while maintaining secure attachment through the tab-fixing opening engagement.
Solution Approach 2:
The tabs are pre-formed as integral parts of the bellow during the manufacturing process, so that when assembly is required, the tabs are already in position and ready for insertion through the fixing openings. This preliminary formation of attachment features eliminates the need for complex assembly operations involving separate clamp rings, thereby improving ease of operation while ensuring secure attachment.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~4
Figure 5~6
AI summary
An air spring assembly includes a guide tube having a plurality of fixing openings spaced circumferentially from each other and a bellow including a plurality of tabs. The bellow is disposed within the guide tube and the plurality of tabs are received within a corresponding one of the fixing openings.