Flexible spring member and end closure assemblies as well as gas spring and gas damper assemblies including same

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

• providing a flexible spring member that has a longitudinal axis and includes a flexible wall with a first end;
• providing an end closure body including a first surface portion, a second surface portion facing opposite said first surface portion, an outer peripheral surface portion, an end closure port extending into said end closure wall and accessible from along said second surface portion, and an elongated damping passage extending axially into said end closure wall in a spiral arrangement about said longitudinal axis, said elongated damping passage including a first passage end disposed in fluid communication with said end closure port, a second passage end, and an open cross-sectional profile within said end closure body such that said elongated gas damping passage is open along said first surface portion of said end closure body;
• permanently attaching said first end of said flexible wall to said outer peripheral surface portion of said end closure body thereby forming a flexible spring member and end closure assembly that at least partially defines a spring chamber;
• supporting a cover plate on said end closure body in facing relation to said spring chamber and extending across said open cross-sectional profile thereby substantially enclosing said elongated gas damping passage, said cover plate including a cover plate port extending therethrough in fluid communication with said second passage end;
• providing a first end member that includes an end member wall at least partially defining an end member chamber;
• and,
• attaching said flexible spring member and end closure assembly to said first end member such that said spring chamber and said end member chamber are disposed in fluid communication with one another through said elongated gas damping passage with said flexible spring member and end closure assembly securable to said first end member with said end closure port disposed in any rotational position about said longitudinal axis independent of a rotational orientation of said first end member.

A gas spring and gas damper assembly having a longitudinal axis, said gas spring and gas damper assembly comprising:

• a first end member including an outer shell wall and an inner support wall, said outer shell wall at least partially defining an end member chamber and including an outer side wall portion and an inner side wall portion with said inner side wall portion at least partially defining an open end of said end member chamber, said inner support wall including an end wall portion oriented transverse to longitudinal axis, said end wall portion disposed along said open end of said end member chamber and spaced radially inward of said inner side wall portion of said outer shell wall such that said open end is at least partially defined between said inner side wall portion of said outer shell wall and said end wall portion of said inner support wall;
• and,
• a flexible spring member and end closure assembly operatively connected to said first end member, said flexible spring member and end closure assembly including:
• a flexible spring member including a flexible wall extending longitudinally between first and second ends and peripherally about said longitudinal axis to at least partially define a spring chamber;
• an end closure body including an end closure wall with a first surface portion facing axially toward said spring chamber, a second surface portion facing axially away from said spring chamber, an outer peripheral surface portion, an end closure port extending through said end closure wall and accessible from along said second surface portion, and an elongated damping passage extending axially into said end closure wall in a spiral arrangement about said longitudinal axis, said elongated damping passage including a first passage end disposed in fluid communication with end closure port, a second passage end, and an open cross-sectional profile within said end closure body such that said elongated gas damping passage is open along said first surface portion of said end closure body;
• and,
• a cover plate on said end closure body across said open cross-sectional profile thereby substantially enclosing said elongated damping passage, said cover plate including a cover plate port extending therethrough in fluid communication with said second passage end;
• said end closure body and said cover plate oriented transverse to said longitudinal axis and positioned along said first end of said flexible spring member with said flexible wall permanently attached along said outer peripheral surface portion of said end closure body such that a substantially fluid-tight joint formed is between said flexible spring member and said end closure body;
• said end closure body and said cover plate disposed within said open end of said first end member such that:
• said first end of said flexible spring member is compressively captured between said outer peripheral surface portion of said end closure body and said inner wall portion of said end member wall;
• such that said second surface portion of said end closure body is supported said end wall portion of said inner support wall and said flexible spring member;
• and such that said flexible spring member and end closure assembly is securable on said first end member with said end closure port in any rotational position about said longitudinal axis independent of a rotational orientation of said first end member.