Gas Spring End Member Design for Compact Ride Comfort
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing gas spring devices face challenges in achieving low spring rates for improved ride comfort while maintaining a compact size and efficient damping, as increasing gas volume leads to larger assemblies and resistance in gas flow through orifices or valve ports.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates a gas spring assembly with end members featuring a flexible spring member and end member chambers in fluid communication, allowing for minimal fluid flow restriction and efficient damping, while maintaining a compact size through optimized fluid communication ports and securement features.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the volume of pressurized gas is increased to reduce spring rate, then ride comfort is improved, but the overall size of the gas spring assembly increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent places the damping chamber inside the spring chamber, creating a nested configuration where the damping piston and chamber are contained within the spring volume. This allows the damping function to be added without increasing the overall external dimensions of the gas spring assembly, resolving the contradiction between improving ride comfort through additional gas volume and maintaining compact size.
2Reliability
If orifices or valve ports are used for gas flow, then damping is provided, but fluid flow resistance increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent provides different local flow characteristics at different locations: the damping piston includes multiple orifices for localized damping control, while the end member chamber provides a larger opening for minimal restriction flow. This local differentiation allows efficient damping where needed while minimizing overall fluid flow resistance.
Solution Approach 2:
The gas flow path is segmented into multiple pathways: flow through the damping piston orifices for damping, and flow through the end member chamber opening for minimal restriction. This segmentation allows the system to achieve both damping and low resistance flow simultaneously by dividing the flow into different channels with different resistance characteristics.
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 enhances ride comfort by reducing spring rate without increasing the size of the gas spring assembly and provides effective damping with minimal fluid flow restriction, improving the overall performance of suspension systems.
Implementation Method 1
a flexible spring member and an end member chamber in fluid communication with the spring chamber
Implementation Method 2
springs that utilize pressurized gas as the working medium of the devices
Implementation Method 3
increasing the volume of pressurized gas operatively associated with the gas spring
Implementation Method 4
the one or more damping elements can be of a type and kind that utilize gaseous fluid rather than liquid as the working medium
Implementation Method 5
there is some resistance to the movement of pressurized gas through these passages or ports. This resistance acts to dissipate energy associated with gas springs and/or suspension systems
Data Source
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AI summary
A gas spring end member has an end member axis and is dimensioned for securement to an associated flexible spring member. The gas spring end member includes an end member wall with a base wall portion disposed transverse to the end member axis. An outer wall portion extends axially from along the base wall portion. A mounting wall portion is dimensioned to receivingly engage an associated end of the associated flexible spring member. An end wall portion extends peripherally about the end member axis and operatively connects the outer wall portion and the mounting wall portion to at least partially define an end member volume. An inner wall portion separates the end member volume into an end member reservoir disposed outward of the inner wall portion and an end member chamber disposed inward of the inner wall portion. Gas spring assemblies and suspensions systems are also included.