US3700225A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Combination shock absorber and supplementary air spring unit and method of assembling same
Assignee: Tenneco Automotive Europe BVBA
•
Filing: 1970-05-28
•
Granted: 1972-10-24
•
Expires: 1990-05-28
Abstract
Abstract A combination shock absorber and supplementary air spring unit comprising, a tubular direct acting shock absorber including a generally cylindrical outer body member, means adjacent one end of the body member defining a generally annular recessed area, a piston reciprocably disposed within the shock absorber attached to one end of a piston rod extending axially outwardly from one end of the body member, means defining an externally thread end portion on the end of the piston rod extending from the body member, a generally cylindrically-shaped enclosure member arranged coaxially of the shock absorber and spaced radially outwardly from the body member, one end of the enclosure member including means, defining a generally radially inwardly disposed shoulder, a tubular resilient diaphragm member having one end thereof secured to the inner periphery of the enclosure member and the opposite end thereof secured to the body member and defining with the enclosure member a variable volume gas chamber, means adjacent one end of the enclosure member closing one end of the chamber and defining a generally axially disposed opening through which said end portion of the piston rod extends, means threadably received on the end portion of the piston rod for securing the enclosure member thereto whereby reciprocable movement of the piston rod results in concomitant reciprocation of the enclosure member, the relative dimensions of the recessed area, the shoulder and the one end of the diaphragm member being such that relative axial movement between the body member and the enclosure member will result in the shoulder biasing said one end of the diaphragm into peripheral engagement with the recessed area.
Inventors
- 👤 John H Fader
- 👤 Johan H Keijzer
- 👤 Marcel Josef Roger Graulus
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 05:50
CPC Classifications
F; F16; F16F; F16F9/00; F16F9/06; F16F9/08; F16F9/084
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 15
Claim 1
Independent Claim
293 words
In the method of assembling a combination shock absorber and supplementary air spring unit including a tubular direct acting shock absorber having an outer body member defining a recessed end portion, a piston reciprocably disposed within the shock absorber attached to one end of a piston rod ending axially outwardly from said end portion of the body member with the piston rod having means on one end thereof defining an attachment portion, a generally cylindrically-shaped enclosure member arranged generally coaxially of the body member and spaced radially outwardly therefrom, a tubular resilient diaphragm member defining with the enclosure member a variable volume gas chamber, an end cap member adjacent one end of the enclosure member closing one end of the chamber and defining a generally axially disposed opening and a radially disposed shoulder, and fastening means engageable with the attachment portion of the piston rod, the steps which include, clampingly securing one end of said diaphragm member to the inner periphery of said enclosure member, approximately equidistant from the opposite ends thereof, folding the opposite end of the diaphragm back upon itself, moving the enclosure member and shock absorber axially of one another and thereby causing said shoulder to bias said opposite end of said diaphragm member into operative engagement with said recessed end portion of said shock absorber, fixedly securing said end cap member to the upper said one end of said enclosure member, clampingly securing the opposite end of said diaphragm member to the upper end of said body member, inserting said attachment portion of said piston rod through said opening in said end cap member, and securing said end cap member and said enclosure member to said piston rod by operatively connecting said fastening means to said attachment portion thereof.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
293 words
In the method of assembling a combination shock absorber and supplementary air spring unit including a tubular direct acting shock absorber having an outer body member defining a recessed end portion, a piston reciprocably disposed within the shock absorber attached to one end of a piston rod ending axially outwardly from said end portion of the body member with the piston rod having means on one end thereof defining an attachment portion, a generally cylindrically-shaped enclosure member arranged generally coaxially of the body member and spaced radially outwardly therefrom, a tubular resilient diaphragm member defining with the enclosure member a variable volume gas chamber, an end cap member adjacent one end of the enclosure member closing one end of the chamber and defining a generally axially disposed opening and a radially disposed shoulder, and fastening means engageable with the attachment portion of the piston rod, the steps which include, clampingly securing one end of said diaphragm member to the inner periphery of said enclosure member, approximately equidistant from the opposite ends thereof, folding the opposite end of the diaphragm back upon itself, moving the enclosure member and shock absorber axially of one another and thereby causing said shoulder to bias said opposite end of said diaphragm member into operative engagement with said recessed end portion of said shock absorber, fixedly securing said end cap member to the upper said one end of said enclosure member, clampingly securing the opposite end of said diaphragm member to the upper end of said body member, inserting said attachment portion of said piston rod through said opening in said end cap member, and securing said end cap member and said enclosure member to said piston rod by operatively connecting said fastening means to said attachment portion thereof.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method as set forth in claim 1 which includes the step of securing said one end of said diaphragm member to said enclosure member with a non-expansible annular ring member.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method as set forth in claim 1 which includes the step of securing said end cap member to said enclosure member by welding.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
36 words
The method as set forth in claim 1 which includes the step of securing said end cap member to said piston rod by threadably securing said fastening means to said attachment portion of said piston rod.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
154 words
In the method of assembling a combination shock absorber and supplementary air spring unit including a tubular direct acting shock absorber having a generally cylindrical outer body member, means adjacent one end of the body member defining a generally annular recessed area, a generally cylindrically-shaped enclosure member arranged generally coaxially of the shock absorber and including means defining a generally radially inwardly disposed shoulder, and a tubular resilient diaphragm cooperable with the enclosure member in defining a variable volume gas chamber, the steps which include, clampingly securing one end of said diaphragm to the inner periphery of said enclosure member, folding said diaphragm back upon itself, inserting the upper end of said shock absorber into the folded portion of the diaphragm, moving the enclosure member and the shock absorber axially of one another and thereby biasing said opposite end of said diaphragm member into operative engagement with said recessed area on the shock absorber.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
154 words
In the method of assembling a combination shock absorber and supplementary air spring unit including a tubular direct acting shock absorber having a generally cylindrical outer body member, means adjacent one end of the body member defining a generally annular recessed area, a generally cylindrically-shaped enclosure member arranged generally coaxially of the shock absorber and including means defining a generally radially inwardly disposed shoulder, and a tubular resilient diaphragm cooperable with the enclosure member in defining a variable volume gas chamber, the steps which include, clampingly securing one end of said diaphragm to the inner periphery of said enclosure member, folding said diaphragm back upon itself, inserting the upper end of said shock absorber into the folded portion of the diaphragm, moving the enclosure member and the shock absorber axially of one another and thereby biasing said opposite end of said diaphragm member into operative engagement with said recessed area on the shock absorber.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method as set forth in claim 5 which includes the step of pressurizing said gas chamber in order to selectively orient said opposite end of said diaphragm member with respect to said recessed arEa.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method as set forth in claim 5 which includes the step of securing said one end of said diaphragm member with a non-expansible annular ring.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
38 words
The method as set forth in claim 5 which includes the step of fixedly securing said end cap to said enclosure member after securing said one end of said diaphragm to said inner periphery of said enclosure member.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
117 words
The method as set forth in claim 5 which includes the steps of pressurizing said gas chamber in order to selectively orient said opposite end of said diaphragm member with respect to said recessed area, securing said one end of said diaphragm member with a non-expansible annular ring, wherein the enclosure member is provided with end cap member defining a generally radially disposed shoulder and which includes the step of biasing said opposite end of said diaphragm by moving said shoulder axially relative to said body member, which includes the step of fixedly securing said end cap to said enclosure member after securing said one end of said diaphragm to said inner periphery of said enclosure member.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
274 words
In the method of assembling a combination shock absorber and supplementary air spring unit including a tubular direct acting shock absorber having an outer body member, a piston reciprocably disposed within the shock absorber attached to one end of a piston rod ending axially outwardly from one end of the body member, with the piston rod having means on one end thereof defining an externally threaded end portion, a generally cylindrically-shaped enclosure member arranged coaxially of the body member and spaced radially outwardly therefrom, a tubular resilient diaphragm member defining with the enclosure member a variable volume gas chamber, end cap member adjacent one end of the enclosure member closing one end of the chamber and defining a generally axially disposed opening, and fastening means engageable with the end portion of the piston rod, the steps which include, clampingly securing one end of said diaphragm member to the inner periphery of said enclosure member, folding the lower end of said diaphragm interiorly of the upper end thereof, orienting the shock absorber so that the upper end thereof is aligned with the folded end of the diaphragm, moving the assemblage of the enclosure member and diaphragm axially of the shock absorber and thereby moving the shoulder axially downwardly a preselected distance beyond the upper end of the shock absorber and thereby biasing the shoulder downwardly into sleeved engagement with the recessed area of the shock absorber, inserting said end portion of said piston rod through said opening in said cap member, and securing said end cap member and said enclosure member to said piston rod by engaging said fastening means with said end portion thereof.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
274 words
In the method of assembling a combination shock absorber and supplementary air spring unit including a tubular direct acting shock absorber having an outer body member, a piston reciprocably disposed within the shock absorber attached to one end of a piston rod ending axially outwardly from one end of the body member, with the piston rod having means on one end thereof defining an externally threaded end portion, a generally cylindrically-shaped enclosure member arranged coaxially of the body member and spaced radially outwardly therefrom, a tubular resilient diaphragm member defining with the enclosure member a variable volume gas chamber, end cap member adjacent one end of the enclosure member closing one end of the chamber and defining a generally axially disposed opening, and fastening means engageable with the end portion of the piston rod, the steps which include, clampingly securing one end of said diaphragm member to the inner periphery of said enclosure member, folding the lower end of said diaphragm interiorly of the upper end thereof, orienting the shock absorber so that the upper end thereof is aligned with the folded end of the diaphragm, moving the assemblage of the enclosure member and diaphragm axially of the shock absorber and thereby moving the shoulder axially downwardly a preselected distance beyond the upper end of the shock absorber and thereby biasing the shoulder downwardly into sleeved engagement with the recessed area of the shock absorber, inserting said end portion of said piston rod through said opening in said cap member, and securing said end cap member and said enclosure member to said piston rod by engaging said fastening means with said end portion thereof.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
114 words
The method as set forth in claim 10 which includes the steps of securing said one end of said diaphragm member to said enclosure member with a non-expansible annular ring member, securing said end cap member to said enclosure member by welding, securing said end cap member to said piston rod by threadably securing said fastening means to one end of said piston rod, securing said opposite end of said diaphragm member to said body member by moving said body member and said enclosure member axially of one another and thereby sleeving said opposite end of said diaphragm member over a reduced diameter section of said body member and thereafter pressurizing said gas chamber.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
117 words
The method as set forth in claim 10 which includes the steps of pressurizing said gas chamber in order to selectively orient said opposite end of said diaphragm member with respect to said recessed area, securing said one end of said diaphragm member with a non-expansible annular ring, wherein the enclosure member is provided with end cap member defining a generally radially disposed shoulder and which includes the step of biasing said opposite end of said diaphragm by moving said shoulder axially relativE to said body member, which includes the step of fixedly securing said end cap to said enclosure member after securing said one end of said diaphragm to said inner periphery of said enclosure member.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3173671A
Cited
US3149829A
Cited
US3331616A
Cited
US3391922A
Cited
US3497198A
Cited
US3525512A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1975-10-24 | 1976-04-24 | 1976-10-24 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1979-10-24 | 1980-04-24 | 1980-10-24 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1983-10-24 | 1984-04-24 | 1984-10-24 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |