US 12,227,047 B2
Bellows accumulator fixation apparatus for suspension dampers
Jan Vochten, Sint-Truiden (BE); Stefan Peerenbooms, Sint Truiden (BE); Tom Daniels, Testelt (BE); Gunter Vandenborne, Sint-Truiden (BE); and Kenny Berwaerts, Gingelom (BE)
Assigned to DRiV Automotive Inc., Northville, MI (US)
Filed by DRiV Automotive Inc., Southfield, MI (US)
Filed on Apr. 22, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/726,735.
Prior Publication US 2023/0339278 A1, Oct. 26, 2023
Int. Cl. B60G 13/14 (2006.01); B60G 13/10 (2006.01); B60G 17/08 (2006.01)
CPC B60G 13/14 (2013.01) [B60G 13/10 (2013.01); B60G 17/08 (2013.01); B60G 2202/242 (2013.01); B60G 2206/41 (2013.01); B60G 2500/114 (2013.01)] 12 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A damper, comprising:
a damper housing;
a pressure tube arranged within the damper housing;
a piston slidably disposed within the pressure tube defining a rebound chamber and a compression chamber;
a piston rod that is fixedly coupled to the piston; and
an accumulator connected to an accumulator port on the damper housing,
wherein the accumulator includes an outer shell with an open end that is coupled to the accumulator port on the damper housing and a distal end having an end wall that extends radially inward to a gas charging port, a bellows assembly having an annular bellows wall extending between a proximal plate and a distal plate to define a pressurized gas chamber therein that is arranged in fluid communication with the gas charging port, and an accumulation chamber that is arranged in fluid communication with the compression chamber and positioned between the distal plate of the bellows assembly and the open end of the outer shell,
wherein the gas charging port includes a stem that extends inwardly from the end wall of the outer shell and wherein an inner diameter of the distal plate of the bellows assembly is received on and is coupled to the stem of the gas charging port by a fixation component,
wherein the fixation component is a circlip that engages both the stem and the distal plate of the bellows assembly,
wherein the stem of the gas charging 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 gas charging port and 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 gas charging port at a fixed axial position.