AIR SPRING BUMPER UTILIZING A COMBINATION OF MATERIALS

摘要

An air spring (1) has a pair of spaced end members (2) for mounting the spri ng at spaced locations on a structure. A flexible sleeve (10) of elastomeric material is sealingly engaged with the end members (2) and (3) and forms a pressurized fluid chamber (15) therebetween. A post (36) is mounted on one o f the end members (3) and extends into the fluid chamber (15). A shock absorbi ng bumper (20) having an outer shell formed of a high strength first plastic material is mounted on the post (36). The shock absorbing bumper shell is formed with a plurality of internal compartments containing one or more bloc ks (28) formed of a second plastic material. The second plastic material preferably is a thermoplastic and is stronger in compression than the first plastic material of the outer shell. The relatively stronger but stiffer blocks (28) are surrounded by the relatively softer plastic material of the outer shell and provides a bumper having extremely high compressive strength and a high resistance to breakage or fracture.