Patent application number | Description | Published |
20080228352 | VEHICLE SUSPENSION SYSTEM AND METHOD OF OPERATING SAME - A suspension system for use on a vehicle having two or more rear axles. The suspension system includes a plurality of gas springs and plurality of height sensors capable of outputting signals having a relation to distances between the respective ends of the respective first and second rear axles and the sprung mass of the vehicle. A control system adapted to selectively inflate or deflate respective ones of the plurality of gas springs to thereby adjust a leveled orientation of the sprung mass. The control system includes a controller that is adapted to determine a rear axle vertical offset and a rear axle articulation offset. The controller is adapted to determine whether conditions are appropriate for adjusting the suspension system by comparing the rear axle vertical offset and/or the rear axle articulation offset to a corresponding vertical offset threshold and/or an articulation offset threshold. A method is also included. | 09-18-2008 |
20110115139 | GAS SPRING AND GAS DAMPER ASSEMBLY AND METHOD - A gas spring and gas clamper assembly includes a first end member, a second end member, a first flexible wall that at least partially defines a first spring chamber, and a second flexible wall that at least partially defines a second spring chamber. A damper piston and damper rod are operatively connected between the first and second end members and within the first spring chamber. A suspension system that includes a gas spring and gas damper assembly as well as a method of assembly are also included. | 05-19-2011 |
20120086178 | HEIGHT CONTROL MODULE, GAS SPRING ASSEMBLY AND METHOD - A gas spring assembly includes a gas spring and a height control module. The gas spring includes a first end member, a second end member and a flexible wall secured therebetween. The height control module includes a height control system that is operatively associated with the gas spring. The height control system includes a sensor, a valve arrangement and a fixed-logic control circuit. A suspension system and a method are also included. | 04-12-2012 |
20120200057 | PRIMARY AIR SPRING AND SECONDARY LEAF SUSPENSION FOR VEHICLE - A suspension for a vehicle having a chassis rail and a longitudinal axle arranged substantially orthogonal thereto. The vehicle suspension has a primary air-responsive spring that couples between the chassis and the axle of the vehicle. The primary spring can be a coil spring that surrounds an air helper spring. A secondary leaf spring has a first end for pivotally coupling to the chassis of the vehicle at a secondary pivot coupling, and a second end for coupling to the axle. The longitudinal configuration of the secondary leaf spring can be arranged to be angularly displaced with respect to a chassis rail of the vehicle. | 08-09-2012 |
20140035210 | FLEXIBLE SPRING MEMBER AS WELL AS GAS SPRING ASSEMBLY AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURE - Flexible spring members can be dimensioned for securement to an associated gas spring end member. The flexible spring member can be at least partially formed from elastomeric material. The flexible spring member can also include a marking disposed along a surface thereof that includes one or more indicia. The marking can be at least partially formed by an indicia layer and an outer layer. The indicia layer can include one or more quantities of material that at least partially form the one or more indicia. The outer layer can be formed from a quantity of material that is disposed overtop of the indicia layer such that the one or more indicia of the indicia layer are substantially encapsulated. Gas spring assemblies, suspension systems, methods of manufacture and manufacturing systems are also included. | 02-06-2014 |
20140091505 | END MEMBERS, GAS SPRING ASSEMBLIES AND SUSPENSION SYSTEMS - An end member for a gas spring assembly can include a first end, a second end opposite the first end and a plurality of reflector surfaces formed along the first end. A first reflector surface can extend from the first end toward the second end. A second reflector surface can extend from adjacent the first reflector surface toward the second end. One or more of the plurality of reflector surfaces can include a plurality of facets or reflector zones. A gas spring assembly including at least one of such end members and a suspension system including one or more of such gas spring assemblies are also disclosed. | 04-03-2014 |
20140155180 | TORSIONAL COUPLERS - A torsional coupler can be dimensioned for securement between a rotational motion source and a rotational motion target. The torsional coupler can include a first end component and a second end component that can cooperatively interengage one another such that such that rotational motion imparted on the first end component is transmitted to the second end component. Interposed between the first end component and the second end component is one or more force-transfer elements through which torque and/or other rotational output is transmitted. The one or more force-transfer elements can include one or more pressurizable elements into and out of which pressurized fluid (e.g., gas and/or liquid) can be transferred. Additionally, or in the alternative, the one or more force-transfer elements can include one or more biasing elements having a positive stiffness and one or more biasing elements having a negative stiffness. A rotary power transmission is also included. | 06-05-2014 |
20140299215 | PRESSURIZED GAS RESERVOIRS INCLUDING AN ELASTOMERIC WALL - A pressurizable gas reservoir can include a first end member and a second end member that is disposed in longitudinally-spaced relation to the first end member. A flexible reservoir member can extend between opposing first and second ends. The first end secured to the first end member and the second end secured to the second end member. The flexible reservoir member at least partially defines a reservoir chamber between the first and second end members that is capable of storing a quantity of pressurized gas for an extended duration of time. The first and second end members can be maintained in substantially-fixed axial position relative to one another. A suspension system including such a pressurized gas reservoir and a method of assembly are also included. | 10-09-2014 |