CN-116928263-B - Bellows accumulator fixture for suspension damper

CN116928263BCN 116928263 BCN116928263 BCN 116928263BCN-116928263-B

Abstract

An accumulator for a vehicle suspension damper includes a housing having an open end connected to an accumulator port on the damper and a distal end opposite the open end, the distal end including an end wall extending radially inward to an inflation port. A bellows assembly including an annular bellows wall extending between a proximal plate and a distal plate is positioned within the housing to define a pressurized gas chamber within the accumulator, the pressurized gas chamber being disposed in fluid communication with the inflation port. The inflation port includes a stem extending inwardly from the end wall of the housing, and the distal plate of the bellows assembly has an inner diameter that is received on the stem. The inner diameter of the distal plate is coupled to the stem of the inflation port by a securing member.

Inventors

J. Wochten
S. Pirenbomis
T. Daniels
G. Vandenborn
K. Bowalz

Assignees

德雷威汽车股份有限公司

Dates

Publication Date: 20260508
Application Date: 20230419
Priority Date: 20220422

Claims (9)

1. A damper, the damper comprising: a damper housing; A pressure tube disposed within the damper housing; A piston slidably disposed within the pressure tube defining a rebound chamber and a compression chamber; A piston rod fixedly coupled to the piston, and An accumulator connected to an accumulator port on the damper housing, Wherein the accumulator includes a housing having an open end coupled to the accumulator port on the damper housing and a distal end having an end wall extending radially inward to an inflation port, a bellows assembly having an annular bellows wall extending between a proximal plate and a distal plate to define a pressurized gas chamber in the bellows assembly, the pressurized gas chamber disposed in fluid communication with the inflation port, and an accumulator chamber positioned within the housing between the distal plate of the bellows assembly and the open end of the housing, Wherein the inflation port comprises a stem extending inwardly from the end wall of the housing, and wherein an inner diameter of the distal plate of the bellows assembly is received on the stem of the inflation port and is coupled to the stem of the inflation port by a securing member; Wherein the securing member is a circlip engaged with both the rod and the distal plate of the bellows assembly; wherein the stem of the inflation port has a tubular wall with an outwardly facing groove, the inner diameter of the distal plate of the bellows assembly includes an inwardly facing groove, and the circlip is received within the outwardly facing groove on the stem of the inflation port and within the inwardly facing groove on the distal plate of the bellows assembly to couple the distal plate of the bellows assembly to the stem of the inflation port at a fixed axial position.
2. The damper of claim 1, wherein the distal plate of the bellows assembly comprises an annular collar positioned coaxially with the inner diameter of the distal plate and extending axially from the distal plate toward the end wall of the housing, and wherein the accumulator comprises a biasing ring extending annularly about the annular collar of the distal plate and extending axially between the distal plate and the end wall of the housing.
3. The damper of claim 2, wherein the biasing ring is configured to apply a biasing force to the distal plate that urges the distal plate away from the end wall of the housing, wherein a gas pressure within the pressurized gas chamber of the bellows assembly exerts a reaction force on the distal plate that urges the distal plate toward the end wall of the housing, and wherein the gas pressure within the pressurized gas chamber of the bellows assembly is increased by adding gas to the pressurized gas chamber via the inflation port to thereby operate to slide the distal plate toward the end wall when the reaction force applied to the distal plate by the gas pressure exceeds the biasing force of the biasing ring, and to self-seat the circlip in the outwardly facing grooves on the stem of the inflation port and in the inwardly facing grooves on the distal plate of the bellows assembly.
4. The damper according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein a cylindrical bore surface extends around the inner diameter of the distal plate, and wherein the cylindrical bore surface comprises an annular groove that receives a sealing element.
5. A damper, the damper comprising: a damper housing; A pressure tube disposed within the damper housing; A piston slidably disposed within the pressure tube defining a rebound chamber and a compression chamber; A piston rod fixedly coupled to the piston, and An accumulator connected to an accumulator port on the damper housing, Wherein the accumulator includes a housing having an open end coupled to the accumulator port on the damper housing and a distal end having an end wall extending radially inward to an inflation port, a bellows assembly having an annular bellows wall extending between a proximal plate and a distal plate to define a pressurized gas chamber in the bellows assembly, the pressurized gas chamber disposed in fluid communication with the inflation port, and an accumulator chamber positioned within the housing between the distal plate of the bellows assembly and the open end of the housing, Wherein the inflation port comprises a stem extending inwardly from the end wall of the housing, and wherein an inner diameter of the distal plate of the bellows assembly is received on the stem of the inflation port and is coupled to the stem of the inflation port by a securing member; Wherein the securing member is a blind rivet nut attached to the terminal end of the rod and including a rivet nut bore.
6. The damper of claim 5, wherein the distal plate of the bellows assembly includes an annular collar extending annularly about the stem of the inflation port and terminating at a collar flange having a diameter smaller than the inner diameter of the distal plate.
7. The damper of claim 6, wherein the inflation port includes a mechanical deformation where the blind rivet nut and the stem meet, the mechanical deformation having a diameter greater than the diameter of the collar flange, and the collar flange is axially positioned between the stem and the mechanical deformation to couple the distal plate of the bellows assembly to the stem of the inflation port at a fixed axial position.
8. The damper of claim 5, wherein the inflation port has a tubular wall having a preassembled diameter and a preassembled length, and wherein the tubular wall is configured to deform to an assembled diameter greater than the preassembled diameter and an assembled length less than the preassembled length when the tubular wall is compressed by a staking tool to couple the distal plate of the bellows assembly to the stem of the inflation port at a fixed axial position.
9. The damper according to any one of the preceding claims 5-8, wherein a cylindrical bore surface extends around the inner diameter of the distal plate, and wherein the cylindrical bore surface comprises an annular groove that receives a sealing element.

Description

Bellows accumulator fixture for suspension damper Technical Field The present disclosure relates generally to dampers used in vehicle suspension systems. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to pressurized gas accumulators having an expandable bellows assembly within a housing. Background This section provides background information related to the present disclosure, which is not necessarily prior art. Vehicles typically include a damper that is used in conjunction with a suspension system to absorb shock and vibration that occur when the vehicle is driven. In order to absorb shock and vibration, a damper is generally connected between the body of the vehicle and the suspension system. The piston is located within the damper. The piston is connected to the body or suspension of the vehicle by a piston rod. The damper further includes a damper housing. The end of the piston rod and damper housing opposite the piston rod typically includes an attachment interface that connects the damper to the vehicle body and suspension system. When the damper is compressed or extended, the piston forces damping fluid into and out of a rebound chamber and a compression chamber within a pressure tube defined in the damper housing to generate a damping force counteracting the shock and vibration. The damper also typically includes a passive mechanical valve or an active electromechanical valve that operates to restrict the flow of damping fluid between the rebound and compression chambers of the damper to increase the damping force generated by the damper. Many current damper designs utilize externally mounted electromechanical valves to control extension and compression damping. Many dampers are also equipped with one or more accumulators. The accumulator is generally divided into a pressurized gas chamber that can supply damping fluid to the damper and an accumulator chamber that receives damping fluid from the damper. Three common types of accumulators are bladder accumulators, piston accumulators and bellows accumulators. In a bladder accumulator, an elastic balloon-like diaphragm defines an accumulator chamber. Piston accumulators on the other hand typically comprise a floating piston separating a pressurized gas chamber from an accumulation chamber. Finally, in a bellows accumulator, the bellows structure defines a pressurized gas chamber. Regardless of the design, the pressurized gas chamber contains pressurized gas that operates to apply a positive pressure within the accumulator that will force the damping fluid out of the accumulator when the fluid pressure in the accumulator chamber is less than the gas pressure within the pressurized gas chamber. Typically, the accumulators are pre-assembled and filled with pressurized gas before they are mounted on or otherwise connected to the damper. Disclosure of Invention This section provides a general summary of the disclosure, and is not a comprehensive disclosure of its full scope or all of its features. According to one aspect of the present invention, a damper is provided. The damper includes a damper housing, a pressure tube disposed within the damper housing, and a piston slidably disposed within the pressure tube. The piston divides the space within the pressure tube into a rebound chamber and a compression chamber and is fixedly coupled to the piston rod. The accumulator is connected to an accumulator port on the damper housing. The accumulator includes a housing having an open end coupled to an accumulator port on the damper housing and a distal end including an end wall. An end wall on the distal end of the accumulator extends radially inward to the inflation port. The accumulator includes a bellows assembly. The bellows assembly includes an annular bellows wall extending between the proximal and distal plates to define a pressurized gas chamber within the bellows assembly, the pressurized gas chamber disposed in fluid communication with the inflation port. The accumulator further includes an accumulator chamber disposed in fluid communication with the compression chamber of the damper and positioned between the distal plate of the bellows assembly and the open end of the housing of the accumulator. The inflation port on the distal end of the accumulator includes a stem extending inwardly from the end wall of the housing. The distal plate of the bellows assembly has an inner diameter that is received on the stem of the inflation port, and the inner diameter of the distal plate is coupled to the stem of the inflation port by a securing member. In accordance with another aspect of the present disclosure, a damper includes a pressure tube, a piston slidably disposed within the pressure tube, and a piston rod fixedly coupled to the piston. The piston divides the space within the pressure tube into a rebound chamber and a compression chamber and the accumulator is disposed in fluid communication with at least one of the rebound chamber and the compression