Pipes and tubular conduits – With pressure compensators – Variable capacity chambers
Reexamination Certificate
1999-07-13
2001-02-13
Brinson, Patrick (Department: 3752)
Pipes and tubular conduits
With pressure compensators
Variable capacity chambers
C138S026000, C220S721000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06186178
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention concerns a pneumatic accumulator or sphere for the hydropneumatic suspension of an automotive vehicle.
BACKGROUND
Conventionally, a pneumatic sphere comprises a rigid exterior envelope, for example metallic, composed of an upper part and a lower part connected together or formed in a single piece, and a deformable flexible membrane fixed at the interior of the envelope at the region of an interface between the upper and lower parts. The membrane thus defines an upper chamber for receiving, for example, a gas, and a lower chamber for receiving, for example, a liquid. In this case, the lower chamber communicates with the hydraulic circuit of the suspension of a vehicle.
Such a sphere is already used for replacing the spring of a MacPherson type suspension.
In the interior of the sphere, the pressure of the liquid is generally between 0 and 250 bar in normal operation.
Fortuitously, the pressure can increase considerably and can reach several times the pressure of use.
It has then been possible to observe the explosion of the sphere and violent ejection of the interior components from the sphere.
An explosion constitutes a great danger to the user of the vehicle.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention thus has the objective of preventing the aforementioned disadvantages and of proposing a pneumatic sphere for hydropneumatic suspension of an automotive vehicle, for example, permitting the prevention of the ejection of pieces of debris upon rupture of the sphere when subjected to exceptional pressure, this sphere contributing thus to the safety of the user of the vehicle.
The invention concerns therefore a pneumatic sphere, comprising a rigid envelope and a deformable flexible membrane disposed at the interior of this envelope defining an upper chamber containing, for example, a gas under pressure, and a lower chamber used for receiving, for example, a liquid. The upper chamber includes means associated with the envelope or with the membrane in order to puncture the membrane in case of overpressure in the lower chamber and thereby to reduce the pressure in this chamber.
In a first embodiment, this means is a cap associated with the upper part of the envelope and comprising at least one hole.
In a second embodiment, this means is a cap associated with the upper part of the envelope and comprising, on a concave surface, at least one claw or the like that projects towards the interior of the envelope.
Preferably, the cap comprises, on its convex surface, at least one groove that terminates at a hole in the cap.
According to a preferred embodiment, the cap comprises three radial grooves, each of them terminating at a hole in the cap.
In an embodiment variant, the cap is tightly connected by its edge to a rigid annular insert fixing the peripheral edge of the membrane onto the envelope and reducing the ullage in the upper chamber.
In another embodiment variant, the cap is approximately hemispherical and forms a rigid annular insert serving to fix the peripheral edge of the membrane onto the envelope and reducing the ullage in the upper chamber.
Finally, when the upper chamber contains a gas under pressure, it is preferably closed by an irremovable element, particularly welded over the envelope.
REFERENCES:
patent: 2804929 (1957-09-01), Plummer
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patent: 4143678 (1979-03-01), Sugimura et al.
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patent: 4428401 (1984-01-01), Chun
patent: 4487226 (1984-12-01), Chun
patent: 4638838 (1987-01-01), Richard et al.
patent: 5072795 (1991-12-01), Delgado et al.
patent: 5987162 (1999-09-01), Arai
patent: 052169 (1982-05-01), None
patent: 777065 (1997-06-01), None
patent: 2588324 (1987-04-01), None
patent: 2051955 (1981-01-01), None
Automobiles Peugeot
Brinson Patrick
Leydig , Voit & Mayer, Ltd.
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