Methods and apparatus for vehicle suspension having multiple gas volumes

摘要

A method and apparatus for a vehicle suspension system gas spring. In one embodiment, a vehicle suspension system gas spring includes a compressible main gas chamber and an additional volume combinable with the main chamber to change a gas spring rate of the system. In one embodiment, a low friction piston seal is created by a flexible seal member.

主权项

1. A vehicle suspension system gas spring, comprising:
a compressible main gas chamber; an additional gas volume, a gas pressure therein selectively combinable with or fully isolated from communication with, the compressible main gas chamber during a compression stroke to change a compressible gas volume of the system; a valve having a valve gas chamber and a bore therethrough; and an axially movable piston disposed in the bore of the valve, the piston separating the compressible main gas chamber and the additional gas volume, the piston having a first piston surface exposed to the valve gas chamber and a second smaller piston surface exposed to the compressible main gas chamber, the piston movable between an open position and a closed position in response to varying pressures in the compressible main gas chamber, wherein in the closed position the piston is biased against a seat in the valve by a pressurized fluid in the valve gas chamber, and wherein in the open position the piston is moved away from the seat by a pressurized fluid in the compressible main gas chamber.