Adjustable volume cylinder for strut
AssigneeFord Global Technologies, LLC
InventorMichael Shawn Watterworth
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An apparatus, according to an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure includes, among other things, a cylinder defining an internal volume and having a first end and a second end. A piston is received within the cylinder, a rod is coupled to the piston and extends outwardly of the first end, and a cap encloses the second end. The cap is selectively movable relative to the cylinder to vary the internal volume. A method according to an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure includes, among other things, selectively moving an end cap relative to a cylinder body to vary internal volume.
Claims26
An apparatus, comprising:
- a cylinder defining a cylinder internal volume and having a first end and a second end;
- a piston received within the cylinder;
- a rod coupled to the piston and extending outwardly of the first end;
- and
- a cap enclosing the second end and being axially spaced from the piston, wherein the cap has a cap open internal volume extending from an enclosed end surface to an open end, and wherein the enclosed end surface is open to the cylinder internal volume such that the cap open internal volume is added to the cylinder internal volume to define an overall internal volume, and wherein the cap is selectively movable relative to the cylinder to vary the overall internal volume.
An apparatus, comprising:
- a fixed vehicle structure;
- a panel moveable relative to the structure;
- a cylinder defining a cylinder internal volume and including a piston, a rod coupled to the piston and extending outwardly of a first end of the cylinder, and a cap enclosing a second end of the cylinder and being axially spaced from the piston, wherein the cap has a cup-shaped body extending from an enclosed end to an open end, and wherein the cap has a cap open internal volume extending from an inner surface of the enclosed end to the open end, and wherein the inner surface of the enclosed end is open to the cylinder internal volume such that the cap open internal volume is added to the cylinder internal volume to define an overall internal volume, and wherein the cap is selectively movable to vary the overall internal volume.
A method, comprising:
- providing a cylinder body defining a cylinder internal volume, a piston rod extending out from a first end of the cylinder body, a piston coupled for movement with the rod, and an end cap axially spaced form the piston and enclosing a second end of the cylinder, wherein the end cap extends from an enclosed end surface to an open end to define a cap open internal, and wherein the enclosed end surface is open to the cylinder internal volume such that the cap open internal volume is added to the cylinder internal volume to define an overall internal volume, and;
- and
- selectively moving the end cap relative to the cylinder body to vary the overall internal volume.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.