US Patent 9738131 Air spring with damping characteristics for heavy-duty vehicles

An air spring with damping characteristics for a suspension assembly of a heavy-duty vehicle includes a bellows and a piston. The bellows includes a bellows chamber. The bellows is attached to a main member of the heavy-duty vehicle and to the piston. The piston includes an open bottom that is sealingly closed by a disc attached to the open bottom. The piston and the disc define a piston chamber. The piston is mounted on the suspension assembly of the heavy-duty vehicle. The bellows chamber and the piston chamber are in fluid communication with each other via at least one opening, wherein airflow between the bellows chamber and the piston chamber provides damping to the suspension assembly of the heavy-duty vehicle.