Patent ID: 7959138

Claim:
An air spring assembly comprising: a first end member including a first side, an opposing second side and an opening extending therethrough; a second end member disposed in spaced relation to said first end member and in facing relation to said first side thereof such that a longitudinally-extending axis is formed therebetween; a flexible wall secured between said first and second end members and at least partially defining a spring chamber between said first side of said first end member and said second end member; a connector fitting at least partially received within said opening and in fluid communication with said spring chamber, said connector fitting including: a fitting body extending longitudinally between opposing first and second ends; first and second retaining members extending longitudinally along said fitting body in radially outwardly-spaced relation thereto such that a gap is formed between said fitting body and said first and second retaining members, said first and second retaining members including a fixed end and an opposing free end, said fixed end operatively connected to said fitting body toward said first end thereof, and said free end being capable of resilient deflection toward said fitting body and including a radially-outwardly extending projection adapted to interengaging said first end member; and, a radially outwardly-extending flange formed on at least one of said fitting body, said first retaining member and said second retaining member, said flange being disposed in an intermediate longitudinal position between said fixed end and said free end of said first and second retaining members such that a longitudinally-extending retaining portion of said connector fitting is formed between said flange and said projection and such that an outer portion of said connector fitting is formed longitudinally outwardly of said flange toward said first end of said fitting body; and, a sealing member sealingly disposed between said connector fitting and said first end member; said connector fitting interengaging said first end member such that said retaining portion is at least partially disposed between said first and second sides of said first end member and said outer portion is disposed outwardly of said first end member opposite said spring chamber such that a radially-inward force can be applied to said first and second retaining members along said outer portion to radially-inwardly displace said free ends for selective removal of said connector fitting from said first end member.