Gas spring seal caps as well as gas spring and damper assemblies and methods including same

A gas spring and damper assembly comprising:

• a damper having a longitudinal axis and including a damper housing and a damper rod operatively connected with said damper housing for relative reciprocal motion therebetween;
• and,
• a gas spring including:
• a first end member supported on said damper rod;
• a second end member longitudinally spaced from said first end member and extending longitudinally along at least a portion of said damper housing;
• and,
• a flexible spring member extending peripherally about said longitudinal axis between opposing first and second ends, said first end secured on said first end member such that a substantially fluid-tight seal is formed therebetween and said second end secured on said second end member such that a substantially fluid-tight seal is formed therebetween, said flexible spring member and said first and second end members at least partially defining a spring chamber;
• an internal conductor at least partially disposed within at least one of said gas spring chamber, said damper housing and said damper rod;
• and,
• a seal cap secured to said first end member such that a substantially fluid-tight connection is formed therebetween, said seal cap including:
• a seal cap body extending radially outward from along said longitudinal axis, said seal cap body including:
• a first end surface portion disposed along a first side of said seal cap;
• a second end surface portion disposed along a second side of said seal cap that is spaced longitudinally from said first side and faces opposite said first end surface portion;
• an outer peripheral surface portion disposed between said first and second end surface portions;
• and,
• an electrical conductor extending through said seal cap body, said electrical conductor disposed radially inward from said outer peripheral surface and including:
• a first terminal end conductively accessible from along said first end surface portion on said first side of said seal cap body;
• and,
• a second terminal end conductively accessible from along said second end surface portion on said second side of said seal cap body and conductively connected to said internal conductor;
• said electrical conductor including a substantially impermeable portion having a substantially fluid-tight connection with said seal cap body with said substantially impermeable portion of said electrical conductor including a section of solid, non-stranded wire and substantially inhibiting fluid communication across said seal cap body through said electrical conductor.

A method of assembling a gas spring and damper assembly comprising:

• securing a flexible spring member to a first end member to at least partially define a spring chamber;
• providing a damper including a damper housing and a damper rod operatively connected to one another such that said damper rod and said damper housing can undergo relative reciprocal motion;
• securing said first end member to said damper rod of said damper such that said damper rod extends through said spring chamber;
• extending an internal conductor through at least a portion of at least one of said gas spring chamber, said damper housing and said damper rod;
• providing a gas spring seal cap including:
• a seal cap body having a longitudinal axis and extending radially outward from along said longitudinal axis, said seal cap body including:
• a first end surface portion disposed along a first side of said gas spring seal cap;
• a second end surface portion disposed along a second side of said gas spring seal cap that is spaced longitudinally from said first side and facing opposite said first end surface portion;
• and,
• an outer peripheral surface portion disposed between said first and second end surface portions;
• and,
• a first electrical conductor and a second electrical conductor extending through said seal cap body, each of said first and second electrical conductors disposed radially inward from said outer peripheral surface portion and including:
• a first terminal end conductively accessible from along said first end surface portion on said first side of said seal cap body;
• and,
• a second terminal end conductively accessible from along said second end surface portion on said second side of said seal cap body;
• each of said first and second electrical conductors including a substantially impermeable portion having a substantially fluid-tight connection with said seal cap body with said substantially impermeable portion of each of said first and second electrical conductors substantially inhibiting fluid communication across said seal cap body through a respective one of said first and second electrical conductors;
• conductively coupling said internal conductor to said second terminal end of at least one of said first and second electrical conductors along said second side of said cap body;
• and,
• securing said gas spring seal cap on said first end member such that a substantially fluid tight seal is formed between said gas spring seal cap and said first end member such that said first terminal ends of said first and second electrical conductors are externally accessible with said internal conductor conductively coupled with said first terminal end of said at least one of said first and second electrical conductors.