Pneumatic Spring Bellows Attachment via Rotary Ring
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing air spring systems face issues with material wear and damage due to frictional forces during attachment of rolling bellows to the plunger, leading to potential detachment and laborious manual assembly processes.
Innovation Solution
A rotary mechanism with a ring and external thread on the plunger allows for a simple, non-detachable, and pressure-tight attachment of the rolling bellows, eliminating the need for additional connecting elements and enabling fully automatic assembly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a clamping ring is used to fix the rolling bellows bead to the plunger, then the rolling bellows can be securely attached, but material wear occurs due to frictional forces between the clamping ring and the rolling bellows bead under permanent stress
Solution Approach 1:
The harmful clamping ring is removed from the system. Instead of using a separate clamping ring that contacts the rolling bellows bead, the invention integrates the fixing function directly into the plunger through a conical cavity with an inwardly tapering wall. The rolling bellows bead is retained by the geometry of the cavity itself, eliminating the need for additional clamping components that generate friction and wear.
Solution Approach 2:
The fixing function is merged with the plunger structure. The conical cavity in the plunger serves both as a mounting location and as the retaining mechanism. The inwardly tapering wall of the cavity directly engages the rolling bellows bead, combining the support and retention functions into a single integrated structure rather than using separate components.
2Reliability
If thread arrangements are used to connect the rolling bellows to the plunger, then connection is achieved, but the assembly process becomes laborious and requires manual rotation
Solution Approach 1:
The complex thread arrangement is removed from the system. The invention replaces threaded connections with a simple conical cavity structure that requires no rotational assembly. The rolling bellows bead is directly positioned and retained by the conical geometry, eliminating the need for threading operations and manual rotation during assembly.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of using external threading that requires rotation and assembly effort, the invention uses an internal conical cavity structure where the retaining function is built into the plunger geometry. The fixation is achieved through the tapering wall shape rather than through threaded engagement, inverting the approach from active threading to passive geometric retention.
3Reliability
If additional connecting elements are used to attach the rolling bellows to the plunger, then secure attachment is achieved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Additional connecting elements such as clamping rings and thread sections are removed from the system. The invention achieves secure attachment using only the plunger with its conical cavity and the rolling bellows bead itself, eliminating the need for separate connecting components and reducing overall device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The attachment function is merged into the plunger structure through the conical cavity. The plunger serves both as a structural support and as the retention mechanism through its inwardly tapering wall, eliminating the need for separate connecting elements and reducing the total number of components in the assembly.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a pneumatic spring (1) for axles of vehicles with air suspension, comprising a plunger piston (5) which can be fixed to an axle, an upper closure cover (2) which can be fixed to the vehicle and which comprises rolling bellows (3) secured to the cover, and a bead (32) which is formed on the rolling bellows (3) and which is fixed to the upper face (13) of the plunger piston (5) by a ring (6). The aim of the invention is to allow a simple, non-detachable, and pressure-tight fixation of the rolling bellows (3) to the plunger piston (5) with a pneumatic spring (1) and to allow a fully automatic assembly. According to the invention, this is achieved in that the ring (6) is secured against the plunger piston (5) via a rotational mechanism formed on the ring (6) and on the plunger piston (5).