A metal/elastomeric bumper for air springs

摘要

An air spring (1) has a pair of spaced end members (2,3) for mounting the spring at spaced locations on a structure. A flexible sleeve (10) of elastomeric material is sealingly engaged with the end members and forms a pressurized fluid chamber therebetween. A post (14) is mounted on one of the end members and extends into the fluid chamber. A shock absorbing two-piece bumper (20) includes a rigid metal base (22) which is formed as an inverted cup-shaped member with a cylindrical sidewall. The base is secured to one of the end members with the post extending into an open end of the base member. An elastomeric member (23) is snap-fitted into a hole (27) formed in an end closure wall (25) of the base member and engages the opposite end member upon the air spring failing or experiencing a large deflection. In an alternate embodiment, a plurality of flexible fingers (45) are formed from the cylindrical sidewall of the base and are snap-fit to the post to mount the base member on the post and on the one end member of the air spring.