Bellows Air Spring Belt Ring Linkage to Prevent Tilting Buckling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Bellows air springs with multiple folds and belt rings can buckle when the connecting parts are tilted, leading to non-compliant operation, increased wear, and potential failure.
Innovation Solution
The belt ring or rings are linked via a lever system, where the linkage axis of rotation deviates from the bellows air spring's rotation axis, allowing the belt ring to describe a circular path and maintain its center on the bellows' main axis even when tilted.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the bellows air spring is used with tilted connecting parts to achieve kinematic applications, then the adaptability is improved, but the reliability deteriorates due to buckling
Solution Approach 1:
A guide plate is introduced as an intermediary component between the bellows air spring and the mounting surface. The guide plate features a guide opening that receives the belt ring, constraining its movement to prevent lateral offset and buckling when the connecting parts are tilted, while still allowing the desired kinematic tilting motion
Solution Approach 2:
The guide opening is designed to maintain the belt ring center on the central axis of the bellows air spring throughout the tilting motion range. This ensures that the belt ring remains in an optimal position (equipotential state) relative to the bellows, preventing buckling while allowing full kinematic adaptability
2Reliability
If a linkage is used to prevent buckling by articulating the belt ring, then the reliability is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The complex articulated linkage system is replaced by extracting only the essential guiding function. The guide plate with its guide opening provides the necessary constraint on belt ring movement without requiring additional linkages, hinges, or articulated connections, thus preventing buckling while maintaining simple construction
Solution Approach 2:
The guide opening in the guide plate acts as a flexible constraint that allows the belt ring to move freely along the intended path while preventing lateral displacement. This simple geometric constraint replaces the need for complex mechanical linkages
3Reliability
If the belt ring is articulated to prevent buckling, then the reliability is improved, but the loss of time increases due to reduced usable stroke
Solution Approach 1:
The guide plate serves as an intermediary that allows the belt ring to maintain its center on the bellows axis throughout the entire stroke range. The guide opening is dimensioned to accommodate the full extension and retraction motion without restricting the usable stroke, thereby preventing buckling while maximizing the operational range
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 effectively prevents buckling, allowing the bellows air spring to operate reliably and within specifications, even under unfavorable conditions, while maintaining the usable stroke and reducing wear.
Implementation Method 1
the articulated belt ring or the articulated belt rings each describe a circular path, so that their centers always lie on the main axis of the bellows air spring
Implementation Method 2
Bellows air springs with two or more folds have a waist-shaped constriction between the folds. This constriction is formed by a reinforcement ring, which ensures that the elastic rubber bellows does not balloon when pressure is applied
Data Source
Figure 1a~1c
Figure 2a~2b
Figure 3a~3c
AI summary
The invention relates to a bellows-type air spring (1, 101) having at least one belt ring (2, 112, 122), the bellows-type air spring (1, 101) being tiltable about an axis of rotation (6, 106). The aim of the invention is to create a bellows-type air spring (1, 101) for kinematic applications involving tilting, which, even with unfavourable configurations, can be operated reliably and as specified when the connecting parts (4, 5, 104, 105) are tilted, reliably preventing deflection. This aim is achieved in that the belt ring (2, 112, 122) or, in the case of a plurality of belt rings (2, 112, 122), each of the belt rings (2, 112, 122) is articulated by means of a lever (7, 117, 127), the axis of rotation (10, 110, 120) of the relevant lever (7, 117, 127) for articulation deviating from the axis of rotation (6, 106) of the bellows-type air spring (1, 101).