Unipartite Rolling Piston Sealing Bead Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing pneumatic springs for utility vehicles with rolling bellows and two-part plastic pistons face limitations in utilizing the full spring travel due to strength constraints and reduced internal volume, leading to compromised comfort and increased costs.
Innovation Solution
A unipartite rolling piston design with a sealing bead and fastening ring that secures the bead-like plug-on edge of the rolling bellows on the inner side of the piston, allowing for maximum internal volume utilization and gas-tight sealing without the need for auxiliary assembly tools.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a two-part rolling piston composed of plastic is used, then the piston can be assembled from multiple parts to achieve sealing, but the internal volume is reduced and strength is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing function is segmented from the piston body by using a separate sealing bead that is plugged into the piston. This allows the piston to maintain its full internal volume while achieving reliable sealing through the dedicated sealing bead component.
Solution Approach 2:
A sealing bead acts as an intermediary element between the piston body and the rolling bellows. This sealing bead with inelastic core provides the necessary sealing capability without requiring the piston itself to be complex or reduce its internal volume.
2Ease of manufacture
If a two-part rolling piston is used, then assembly flexibility is improved, but the device complexity and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing and fastening functions are extracted from the main piston body and implemented through a separate sealing bead that is plugged into the piston. This simplifies the piston structure to a unipartite design while maintaining assembly flexibility through the plug-on mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
The sealing bead with inelastic core serves multiple functions simultaneously - it provides sealing, position securing, and fastening of the rolling bellows to the piston. This self-service approach reduces the need for additional components and simplifies the overall structure.
3Ease of operation
If the entire spring travel is utilized in a plastic piston, then comfort is improved, but strength requirements cannot be met with two-part designs
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing bead combines an inelastic core material with the plastic piston body, creating a composite structure that provides both the flexibility needed for full spring travel and the strength required to maintain integrity during operation.
4Reliability
If different plug-on edges are used for rolling bellows fastening, then connection reliability is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing bead with inelastic core serves multiple functions simultaneously - sealing, position securing, and fastening of the rolling bellows to the piston. This multi-functional approach improves connection reliability while reducing the need for separate fastening components.
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 design enhances spring comfort and reduces manufacturing costs by enabling the full utilization of the internal volume for spring action while ensuring secure and gas-tight connection, suitable for plastic pistons without the limitations of two-part designs.
Implementation Method 1
The rolling bellows has, at least at its plug-on edge for connection to the rolling piston, a sealing bead with an inelastic bead core
Data Source
AI summary
A pneumatic spring for utility vehicles comprising a rolling bellows and a rolling piston. The rolling bellows has at least one bead-like plug-on edge. The rolling piston is of unipartite form and includes an interior space constantly exchanging air with an air chamber enclosed by the rolling bellows. At the plug-on edge, the rolling bellows has a sealing bead with an inelastic bead core for connection to the rolling piston. The fastening of the plug-on edge to the rolling piston, with position securing action and sealing action, is disposed on an inner side of a rolling piston edge.