Gas spring assembly for a vehicle suspension system
A suspension component includes a gas spring. The gas spring includes a cylinder, a rod movable relative to the cylinder, and a sensor having a shaft extending through the cylinder to the rod. The sensor is configured to provide a signal indicative of a ride height of a vehicle.
1 . A suspension component for a vehicle, the suspension component comprising:
a gas spring including:
a cylinder;
a rod movable relative to the cylinder; and
a sensor having a shaft extending through the cylinder to the rod, wherein the sensor is configured to provide a signal indicative of a ride height of the vehicle.
2 . The suspension component of claim 1 , wherein the sensor is a linear variable differential transformer.
3 . The suspension component of claim 1 , further comprising an accumulator coupled to the gas spring, the accumulator including a rigid exterior and a movable component internal to the rigid exterior.
4 . The suspension component of claim 3 , wherein the movable component separates an interior of the rigid exterior into a first portion and a second portion, wherein the first portion is in gaseous communication with the cylinder, and wherein the second portion contains a gas.
5 . The suspension component of claim 4 , wherein the accumulator includes a port configured to facilitate adjusting a pressure of the gas within the second portion.
6 . The suspension component of claim 3 , wherein the movable component is a bladder.
7 . The suspension component of claim 3 , wherein the accumulator is configured to facilitate providing a multi-stage spring rate for the gas spring.
8 . A suspension component for a vehicle, the suspension component comprising:
an accumulator configured to couple to a cylinder of a gas spring, the accumulator including:
a rigid exterior defining a first chamber; and
a bladder disposed within the first chamber, the bladder separating the first chamber into (a) a first accumulator portion configured to be in fluid communication with a second chamber of the cylinder and (b) a second accumulator portion;
a sensor configured to provide a signal indicative of a ride height of the vehicle based on a status of the gas spring.
9 . The suspension component of claim 8 , further comprising the gas spring.
10 . The suspension component of claim 8 , wherein the accumulator includes a valve configured to be positioned between the first accumulator portion of the first chamber and the second chamber.
11 . The suspension component of claim 8 , wherein the accumulator includes a port in fluid communication with the second accumulator portion of the first chamber.
12 . The suspension component of claim 8 , wherein the sensor is a linear variable differential transformer having a shaft configured to extend at least partially through the gas spring.
13 . The suspension component of claim 8 , wherein the accumulator facilitates providing a multi-stage spring rate for the gas spring.
14 . The suspension component of claim 13 , wherein the multi-stage spring rate is adjustable by increasing or decreasing an initial gas pressure in the bladder.
15 . A suspension component for a vehicle, the suspension component comprising:
an accumulator configured to couple to a cylinder of a gas spring; and
a sensor configured to provide a signal indicative of a ride height of the vehicle based on a status of the gas spring;
wherein the accumulator is configured to facilitate providing a multi-stage spring rate for the gas spring; and
wherein the multi-stage spring rate is adjustable by increasing or decreasing an initial gas pressure in the accumulator.
16 . The suspension component of claim 15 , further comprising the gas spring.
17 . The suspension component of claim 15 , wherein the accumulator includes:
a rigid exterior defining a chamber; and
a bladder disposed within the chamber, the bladder separating the chamber into (a) a first accumulator portion in fluid communication with the cylinder and (b) a second accumulator portion.
18 . The suspension component of claim 17 , wherein the accumulator includes a port in fluid communication with the second accumulator portion of the chamber, the port configured to facilitate introducing or removing gas from the second accumulator portion.