The subject matter of the present disclosure broadly relates to the art of gas spring devices and, more particularly, to end mount assemblies for use in connection with components of gas spring and damper assemblies of a variety of types and kinds. Gas spring and damper assemblies including such an end mount assembly and suspension systems including one or more of such gas spring and damper assemblies as well as methods of assembly are also included.
The subject matter of the present disclosure may find particular application and use in conjunction with components for wheeled vehicles, and will be shown and described herein with reference thereto. However, it is to be appreciated that the subject matter of the present disclosure is also amenable to use in other applications and environments, and that the specific uses shown and described herein are merely exemplary. For example, the subject matter of the present disclosure could be used in connection with gas spring and damper assemblies of non-wheeled vehicles, support structures, height adjusting systems and actuators associated with industrial machinery, components thereof and/or other such equipment. Accordingly, the subject matter of the present disclosure is not intended to be limited to use associated with suspension systems of wheeled vehicles.
Wheeled motor vehicles of most types and kinds include a sprung mass, such as a body or chassis, for example, and an unsprung mass, such as two or more axles or other wheel-engaging members, for example, with a suspension system disposed therebetween. Typically, a suspension system will include a plurality of spring elements as well as a plurality of damping devices that together permit the sprung and unsprung masses of the vehicle to move in a somewhat controlled manner relative to one another. Generally, the plurality of spring elements function to accommodate forces and loads associated with the operation and use of the vehicle, and the plurality of damping devices are operative to dissipate undesired inputs and movements of the vehicle, particularly during dynamic operation thereof. Movement of the sprung and unsprung masses toward one another is normally referred to in the art as jounce motion while movement of the sprung and unsprung masses away from one another is commonly referred to in the art as rebound motion.
In many applications involving vehicle suspension systems, it may be desirable to utilize spring elements that have as low of a spring rate as is practical, as the use of lower spring rate elements can provide improved ride quality and comfort compared to spring elements having higher spring rates. That is, it is well understood in the art that the use of spring elements having higher spring rates (i.e., stiffer springs) will transmit a greater magnitude of road inputs into the sprung mass of the vehicle and that this typically results in a rougher, less-comfortable ride. Whereas, the use of spring elements having lower spring rates (i.e., softer, more-compliant springs) will transmit a lesser amount of road inputs into the sprung mass and will, thus, provide a more comfortable ride.
Such suspension systems also commonly include one or more dampers or damping components that are operative to dissipate energy associated with undesired inputs and movements of the sprung mass, such as road inputs occurring under dynamic operation of a vehicle, for example. Typically, such dampers are liquid filled and operatively connected between a sprung and unsprung mass, such as between a body and axle of a vehicle, for example. One example of such damping components are conventional shock absorbers that are commonly used in vehicle suspension systems.
In other arrangements, however, the dampers or damping components can be of a type and kind that utilizes gas rather than liquid as the working medium. In such known constructions, the gas damper portion permits gas flow between two or more volumes of pressurized gas, such as through one or more orifices, as shown, for example, in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2004/0124571, or through one or more valve ports, as shown, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 7,213,799. Generally, there is some resistance to the movement of pressurized gas through these passages or ports, and this resistance acts to dissipate energy associated with the gas spring portion and thereby provide some measure of damping.
One factor that may be limiting the broader adoption and use of gas spring and damper assemblies relates to the significant travel of which gas spring devices are normally capable. That is, gas spring devices are capable of being displaced between a minimum or compressed height and a maximum or extended height. In many cases, the difference in these overall heights can be substantial. In some cases, certain difficulties relating to the incorporation of dampers into gas spring devices have been associated with the aforementioned differences in overall height of gas spring devices. At one extreme, the minimum or compressed height of a gas spring device will act to limit the overall length of components that can be housed within the gas spring device. At the other extreme, any components housed within the gas spring device should remain operatively connected between the opposing end members of the gas spring device in the extended condition thereof.
Accordingly, it is desired to develop end mount assemblies for gas spring and damper assemblies as well as a suspension system including one or more of such assemblies that overcome the foregoing and/or other difficulties associated with known constructions, and/or which may otherwise advance the art of gas spring and damper devices.