Gas spring and gas damper assemblies, suspension systems and methods

A gas spring and gas damper assembly comprising:

• a flexible spring member having a longitudinal axis and extending longitudinally between opposing first and second ends to at least partially define a spring chamber therebetween;
• a first end member secured across said first end of said flexible spring member such that a substantially fluid-tight seal is formed therebetween;
• and,
• a second end member spaced longitudinally from said first end member and secured across said second end of said flexible spring member such that a substantially fluid-tight seal is formed therebetween, said second end member including a base section and a shell section, said base section including a base end wall portion oriented transverse to said longitudinal axis and a base side wall portion extending peripherally about said longitudinal axis and axially from along said base end wall portion toward said first end member such that:
• a first damper reservoir having a substantially-fixed volume is at least partially defined by said base section, said shell section including a shell end wall portion oriented transverse to said longitudinal axis and a shell side wall portion extending peripherally about said longitudinal axis and axially from along said shell end wall portion in a direction toward said base end wall portion of said base section, said base section and said shell section interengaged with one another such that at least some of said base side wall portion and said shell side wall portion are axially coextensive with one another with said first damper reservoir disposed between said base end wall portion and said shell end wall portion;
• and,
• an elongated gas damping passage is formed between said base side wall portion and said shell side wall portion, said elongated gas damping passage fluidically connected between said spring chamber and said first damper reservoir such that said elongated gas damping passage is operative to generate pressurized gas damping of vibrations across a predetermined range of frequencies with at least one of said base side wall portion and said shell side wall portion including an elongated helical groove extending therealong that at least partially defines said elongated gas damping passage.

A gas spring end member dimensioned for securement to an associated flexible spring member, said gas spring end member having a longitudinal axis and comprising:

• a base section including a base end wall portion oriented transverse to said longitudinal axis and a base side wall portion extending peripherally about said longitudinal axis and axially from along said base end wall portion such that a first damper reservoir having a substantially-fixed volume is at least partially defined by said base section;
• a shell section including a shell end wall portion oriented transverse to said longitudinal axis and a shell side wall portion extending peripherally about said longitudinal axis and axially from along said shell end wall portion in a direction toward said base end wall portion of said base section, said base section and said shell section interengaged with one another such that at least some of said base side wall portion and said shell side wall portion are axially coextensive with one another with said first damper reservoir disposed between said base end wall portion and said shell end wall portion;
• and,
• an elongated gas damping passage formed between said base side wall portion and said shell side wall portion, said elongated gas damping passage fluidically connected with said first damper reservoir, and said elongated gas damping passage extending peripherally about said axis and arranged such that said elongated gas damping passage forms at least a portion of at least one helical coil.