Rolling Piston Integrating Additional Volume Tank

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing air spring dampers for commercial vehicles require a large installation space due to separate additional volume containers, making them bulky and expensive, especially when trying to integrate a rotationally symmetrical rolling piston with sufficient volume.

Innovation Solution

A rolling piston design that integrates a piston section and a container section connected in a fluid-conducting manner, with a cover element forming an additional volume tank, allowing for a compact and cost-effective solution by arranging the additional volume container laterally and extending in the axial direction, thus reducing overall height and weight.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Quantity of substance

If a separate additional volume container is used to increase the air volume, then the damping function is improved, but the installation space requirement increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveair volumeVSAvoidinstallation space
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSVolume of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the additional volume container with the rolling piston by integrating it into the piston's structure. The container section is formed as part of the rolling piston assembly, with the cover element closing the container section to form the additional volume. This integration eliminates the need for a separate additional volume container, thereby reducing installation space while maintaining the required air volume for damping function.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

2Volume of stationary object

If the additional volume container is integrated in the rolling piston, then the installation space is reduced, but the manufacturing complexity increases due to space constraints

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinstallation spaceVSAvoidmanufacturing complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Volume of stationary objectVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The rolling piston is segmented into distinct functional sections: a piston section and a container section. The container section is specifically designed to form the additional volume when closed by the cover element. This segmentation allows each section to be optimized for its specific function while simplifying the overall manufacturing process, as each section can be produced and then assembled together.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The container section is arranged laterally adjacent to the rolling piston and extends in the axial direction parallel to the piston section. This lateral arrangement in a different spatial dimension allows the additional volume to be integrated without increasing the overall height of the rolling piston, thereby maintaining compact dimensions while providing sufficient volume for damping.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

3Quantity of substance

If complex deep-drawn parts are used to integrate additional volume, then the volume is achieved, but the manufacturing cost increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveair volumeVSAvoidmanufacturing cost
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The rolling piston is divided into a piston section and a container section that can be separately manufactured and then connected. This segmentation allows for simpler, more cost-effective manufacturing of each individual section using standard production methods, avoiding the need for complex deep-drawn parts while still achieving the required additional volume when the sections are assembled together.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentEP3077700B1Rolling piston
Publication Date: 2020.06.17 VIBRACOUSTIC CV AIR SPRINGS GMBH
  • EP3077700B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3077700B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP3077700B1 patent drawingFigure 5~6

AI summary

The present invention relates to a rolling piston (12) for an air spring damper (10) in the field of commercial vehicles, comprising a piston portion (28) and a container portion (32), which have a hollow design and are connected to one another in a fluid-conducting manner, and a lid element (34), said lid element (34) being connected to the container portion (32) in order to form an additional volume container (36).