Abstract: An air spring assembly including a first end member having a peripheral edge, a second end member in spaced relation to the first end member, and a flexible sleeve secured between the first and second end members at least partially defining a spring chamber. A label is formed from sheet material and includes a first portion coated with adhesive and a second portion spaced from the first portion that includes a plurality of indicia. The label is disposed along the first end member with the first adhesive portion secured thereto and the second portion extending outwardly beyond the peripheral edge. A method is also disclosed.

Abstract: A vehicle suspension system has a combination air spring/damper mounted between spaced first and second components of a vehicle. The damper has a fluid cylinder attached to the first vehicle component and a piston rod connected to the second vehicle component. The air spring has a piston and an end plate with an intervening flexible bellows forming an air chamber. The air spring piston is mounted on and surrounds the damper cylinder and the end plate is secured to the second vehicle component, but at a separate location from the attachment of the piston rod to distribute the loading forces at the points of attachment. A flexible sealing sleeve extends between the piston rod and an end plate opening of the air spring through which the piston rod extends. A rigid canister is mounted on the end plate of the air spring and extends about the flexible bellows and has a sealing skirt at a lower end which engages the damper cylinder.

Abstract: A method of preparing an adhesive, the method comprising combining an isocyanate, a polyhydroxyl phenol-containing compound, a polyol, and a trimerization catalyst.

Abstract: A turn-up device (40) for making a molded body of an airspring on a mechanical drum having expandable end portions. The device (40) comprises a support member (42), a plurality of turning arms (44) pivotally mounted to the support member (42), and a sleeve (46) resiliently mounted to the support member (42). The turning arms (44) are movable between radially inner and outer positions and are biased to the radially inner position. The sleeve (46) is movable relative to the arms (44) between a position whereat it holds the arms (44) in the radially outer position and a position whereat it releases the arms (44) so that they can be biased to the radially inner position. The airspring can be used in a large vehicle wheel suspension (i.e., a bus or a truck) and/or can be used to manipulate the lift axle of, for example, a large dump truck.

Abstract: The grade of oil used in a machine or apparatus can be determined by determining a temperature and pressure within an oil supply and determining the oil grade in response to determining the temperature and pressure.

Abstract: A runflat tire is provided that may be used in applications currently requiring a large aspect ratio tire. The runflat tire of the invention may be substituted in these applications while providing desirable ride characteristics. The runflat tire includes a sidewall with a radial portion and a cantilever portion. The cantilever portion may be fabricated by extending a sidewall insert in the axially inward direction or by extending the bead filler in the axially outward direction. In other embodiments, the cantilever sidewall portion is formed by a combination of the sidewall insert and the bead filler. The resulting runflat tire has desired durability in the uninflated operating condition while having desired ride characteristics in the inflated condition. The sidewall structure allows the tire to be used in applications presently requiring a tire with a high aspect ratio.

Abstract: A method for indoor wear testing tires includes the steps of characterizing a vehicle and a wear test course and combining the characterized data to create input data for an indoor wear test machine. The input data allows the indoor wear test machine to accurately simulate an outdoor wear test course for the characterized vehicle. The method allows multiple wear test courses to be used with a single characterized vehicle and allows a single wear test course to be used with multiple characterized vehicles. The method allows tires to be wear tested in relatively short time periods in the controlled environment of the indoor laboratory. In addition, the method is relatively easy to set up and perform.