Air spring strut

Abstract

An air spring strut is mounted between a chassis of a motor vehicle and a wheel support of a wheel suspension and takes up wheel transverse forces. The air spring strut includes: an air spring including an outer hollow cylinder ( 8 ) and an inner hollow cylinder ( 9 ). A piston is arranged within the inner hollow cylinder ( 9 ) and is connected to the outer hollow cylinder ( 8 ). A first rolling-lobe resilient member ( 10 ) is arranged between the outer hollow cylinder ( 8 ) and the inner hollow cylinder ( 9 ) so as to seal off an outer air chamber. A second rolling-lobe resilient member ( 11 ) is arranged between the inner hollow cylinder ( 9 ) and the piston ( 2 ) so as to seal off an inner air chamber ( 7 ). The inner hollow cylinder ( 9 ) is articulately connected to the wheel support ( 3 ). The inner hollow cylinder ( 9 ) and the outer hollow cylinder ( 8 ) are arranged eccentrically to each other.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . An air spring strut for mounting between a chassis of a motor vehicle and a wheel support of a wheel suspension, the air spring strut comprising: 
 an air spring supported on said chassis and including an outer hollow cylinder and an inner hollow cylinder disposed at least partially within said outer hollow cylinder;    a piston arranged within said inner hollow cylinder and connected to said outer hollow cylinder;    a first rolling-lobe resilient member arranged between said outer hollow cylinder and said inner hollow cylinder so as to seal off an outer air chamber;    a second rolling-lobe resilient member arranged between said inner hollow cylinder and said piston so as to seal off an inner air chamber;    said inner hollow cylinder being articulately connected to said wheel support; and,    said inner air chamber and said outer air chamber being arranged eccentrically to each other.    
     
     
         2 . The air spring strut of  claim 1 , said outer hollow cylinder having a lower section and said lower section having a plurality of openings formed therein; and, said inner hollow cylinder having a plurality of struts projecting through corresponding ones of said openings so as to be axially moveable.  
     
     
         3 . The air spring strut of  claim 2 , said piston being connected to said lower section of said outer hollow cylinder in a region of said lower section disposed between said openings viewed in a radial direction.  
     
     
         4 . The air spring strut of  claim 3 , wherein said air spring has a longitudinal extension and said openings are axially parallel to the longitudinal extension of said air spring.  
     
     
         5 . The air spring strut of  claim 1 , said inner and outer air chambers conjointly defining an interface; and, passage means disposed at said interface for permitting an air flow between said air chambers.  
     
     
         6 . The air spring strut of  claim 5 , wherein said passage means comprises valve means mounted at said interface.  
     
     
         7 . The air spring strut of  claim 5 , wherein said passage means comprises at least one bore formed at said interface through which said air chambers communicate with each other to permit said air flow therebetween.  
     
     
         8 . The air spring strut of  claim 1 , wherein said piston is configured as a shock absorber.  
     
     
         9 . The air spring strut of  claim 1 , further comprising spring means for taking up impact loads including a maximum load when the air spring strut bottoms; and, said spring means being disposed at least at one of the following locations: said chassis; the upper end of said outer hollow cylinder; and, at the outer end of said piston.  
     
     
         10 . The air spring strut of  claim 9 , wherein said spring means is made of a spring elastic material.